Tensions Near Boiling Point: Kosovo Signals Alarm Amid Disturbing Serbian Troop Movements.
The volatility in Kosovo escalates, as per FOCUS online’s reports, giving a detailed account of the unfolding crisis. The Kosovo government’s statement on Saturday indicates Serbian military units mobilizing towards Kosovo from “three different directions.” Movements from the Second, Third, and Fourth Brigades of the Serbian Army from various Serbian regions, according to the Kosovar government, serve a “potential military aggression against the Republic of Kosovo.”
Heavy Artillery Positioned: 48 Operational Bases Menacingly Active
Reliable sources shared with FOCUS online unveil that Serbian military and police were deployed to 48 operational bases along the Kosovo border on Friday, positioning heavy artillery, including anti-aircraft systems. The Kosovar government emphasizes that it is “more determined than ever” to safeguard the country’s territorial integrity, coordinating closely with international partners.
Germany’s Foreign Office in Berlin, reported by FOCUS online, appeals to the Serbian government for de-escalation. Through social media platform X, Serbia was urged to “immediately reduce troops at the border.” Moreover, the Office underscores the necessity that the political process between the two nations urgently continues, asserting they are in “intense contact” with all involved parties.
Radoicic Admits Attack; Pristina Skeptical of Lone-Wolf Theory
The FOCUS online report also accentuates an incident that occurred last Sunday: A heavily armed Serbian commando unit of 30 attacked Kosovar police officers in Northern Kosovo, resulting in fatalities on both sides. Kosovo-Serbian politician and businessman Milan Radoicic confessed to the assault but claims to have acted autonomously – a version doubted by the government in Pristina.
These developments transpire against the backdrop of a longstanding conflict between Serbia and Kosovo, with the latter declaring its independence from the former in 2008 – an independence that remains unrecognized by Serbia to this day.
Serbia Will Not Cross the Border
In a statement to the Financial Times, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić conveyed that he does not plan to command the army to traverse the administrative transitions to Kosovo and added that he wishes to withdraw Serbian forces from this region. He emphasized that an escalation of the conflict at this juncture would be counterproductive concerning Serbia’s aspirations to join the European Union.
Image: Vojska Srbije, Vucevic vucic mojsilovic granit 2023, CC BY 3.0 RS, via Wikimedia Commons, (no changes made)