conflicts
Riots in Kosovo: USA call for de-escalation
Soldiers and police guard a building in Zvecan after clashes between ethnic Serbs and troops from the NATO-led KFOR peacekeeping force. photo
© Dejan Simicevic/AP
80 injured in a few hours – after the serious unrest, the Euro-Atlantic community is trying to limit the damage. For the time being, however, there is no sign of a solution in Kosovo.
After the recent riots in Kosovo, the US government called on all sides to de-escalate. “The United States condemns yesterday’s unacceptable violence against NATO-led KFOR troops, law enforcement officials and journalists,” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said yesterday. The actions of the Kosovo government have “unnecessarily intensified” the tensions, while the Serbian leadership is supposed to persuade their compatriots in neighboring Kosovo to stop using violence.
Kosovo, which is now almost exclusively inhabited by Albanians, declared its independence in 2008. To this day, Serbia has not recognized this step and is demanding the return of its former province.
protests for days
Serious riots broke out in the Serb-populated north of Kosovo on Monday. Militant Serbs attacked KFOR troops in the village of Zvecan. They used tear gas and stun grenades. 30 Italian and Hungarian soldiers and more than 50 Serbs were injured. The Serbs in northern Kosovo have been protesting for days against the appointment of mayors from the Albanian ethnic group in three communities. They had been elected the previous month, although almost all Serbs boycotted the municipal elections and the turnout was therefore less than four percent.
US Secretary of State Blinken called on Kosovar Prime Minister Albin Kurti to ensure that mayors carry out their duties from other locations outside of municipal buildings. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic should call on the Kosovo Serbs to stop challenging KFOR and to refrain from further violence.
KFOR is designed to ensure security
In 1999, after a NATO intervention against Serbia, KFOR invaded Kosovo with around 50,000 men. Due to a mandate from the UN Security Council, she is responsible for ensuring security in the country. Today it still has around 3,800 soldiers, most of whom come from Italy, the USA, Hungary and Turkey. Germany is still taking part in the KFOR mission with about 70 soldiers.