NATO sends more troops to Kosovo

About 200 British soldiers landed in Kosovo on October 6 to reinforce NATO troops in the breakaway Serbian province, following a tense incident last month involving the death of an ethnic Albanian policeman. A Turkish general will take command of the force next week, RT reported.

Members of the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment have been added to the Kosovo mission, joining 400 British troops. Earlier this week, the Romanian government also pledged to send an additional 100 troops.

“This deployment is a prudent step to ensure KFOR has the forces necessary to fulfill the UN mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo,” the US-led military bloc said in a statement.

According to a statement on NATO's official website, these deployments are a prudent step to ensure that KFOR has the forces it needs to fulfill its UN mandate to maintain a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement for all people in Kosovo. The new deployments are based on a request from NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe and have been approved by the allies.

NATO has led the peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since 1999 under UN Security Council Resolution 1244. KFOR currently includes more than 4,500 troops contributed by 27 allies and partners of the alliance.

NATO began sending troops to Kosovo in June 1999, after waging a 78-day air war against Serbia in the name of protecting ethnic Albanian separatists in the province, RT reported. The interim government in Pristina declared independence in 2008, but has not been recognized by Serbia or about half of the world's countries, including Russia, China and India.

The leaders of both Albania and Serbia last week called on KFOR to take over security in Serb-majority areas in the north of the province. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said this was better than having police loyal to Kosovo leader Albin Kurti, whom he accused of “terrorizing” local Serbs. Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, meanwhile, said it was the only way to stop Serbian militias from attacking ethnic Albanian police.

Tensions rose after about 30 heavily armed Serbs stormed the northern Kosovo village of Banjska on September 24. A Kosovo police officer and three attackers were killed in the gunfight.

“We need NATO because the border with Serbia is very long and the Serbian army has recently strengthened its capabilities,” Kosovo leader Albin Kurti told the AP news agency.

“These people want to turn back time. They are looking for a time machine. They want to turn back the clock 30 years. But that is not going to happen,” said Mr. Kurti.

Kosovo’s leaders blamed Belgrade for being behind the “terrorist attack” in Kosovo on September 24. In response, Serbian President Vucic denied this, suggesting that local Serbs may have taken up arms in response to Pristina’s repression, which he accused KFOR of condoning.

Last week, NATO announced it was increasing its peacekeeping presence in northern Kosovo due to escalating tensions with neighboring Serbia, Politico reported.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby confirmed a “large-scale military deployment” of Serbian tanks and artillery on the border. He described the military buildup as “a very troubling development” and called on Serbia to withdraw its forces.

The EU and the US have been pushing for years to broker a lasting peace between Kosovo and Serbia, but a deal remains elusive amid continuing divisions over the status of northern Kosovo, which is predominantly Serbian.

The current commander of KFOR, Italian General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, told Albanian media on October 6 that the presence of NATO troops “prevented an escalation of events” in Banjska. He is expected to hand over command to Turkish General Ozkan Ulutas on October 10.

Türkiye currently has about 600 soldiers in KFOR's 4,500-strong contingent. While Ankara has good economic ties with Belgrade, it has also supplied Pristina with Bayraktar combat drones.