The situation in the border area between Kosovo and Serbia is more tense than it has been in years.
NATO plans to deploy around 600 British troops to Kosovo to bolster the military alliance’s presence in the region, which has been rocked by recent armed clashes.
The soldiers to be sent to the area are part of the reserve forces previously promised for use by NATO’s KFOR crisis management operation.
NATO spokesman by Dylan White according to Britain will send around 200 soldiers to the area, who will join forces with the 400-strong unit already training in Kosovo. According to the spokesperson, additional reinforcements are coming from other allies.
According to White, the decision to send troops to Kosovo is a result of the attack on the Kosovar police last Sunday and the increased tensions in the region. In his statements, however, White did not offer a direct reference to the warning issued by the United States for the rest of the week.
United States said on Friday that he had discovered that Serbia had significantly increased its forces on the border with Kosovo and called on the country to withdraw its forces. According to the US, Serbia is in danger of destabilizing the situation in the region.
The spokesperson of the White House already said at the time that NATO is increasing the forces of its KFOR crisis management operation in the region. The British Ministry of Defense announced last week that it had promised a battalion of 500-650 soldiers for KFOR forces.
Finland is also involved in the KFOR crisis management operation in Kosovo, which started in 1999. Defense forces about 70 Finns are currently participating in the operation.
NATO on Sunday called on Serbia and Kosovo to resume dialogue as soon as possible. According to White, this is the only way to lasting peace.
The situation in the region is more tense than it has been in years.
The other weekend, a Kosovar policeman was killed in an ambush, after which a siege battle took place between an armed group and the Kosovo police in a Kosovar village near the Serbian border. Three Serbian gunmen were killed in the hours-long siege.
Kosovo has blamed Serbia for the series of events, which in turn holds Kosovo responsible. Northern Kosovo is home to a Serb minority, which is supported by Serbia. According to the Serbs of northern Kosovo, their representation in the administration of the Albanian-majority Kosovo is non-existent.
Serbia has not recognized Kosovo’s independence. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
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