Crisis defused: Kosovo opens largest border crossing to Serbia

STORY: Kosovo has reopened its largest border crossing with Serbia. The government in Pristina was reacting to promises by the Serbian minority in the north of the country to lift road blockades on Thursday. The barriers were put in place after a former Serbian police officer was arrested at a rally. He has now been released and placed under house arrest. The Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had previously joined the talks and met with the Serbs from northern Kosovo on Wednesday evening. After that, he announced that the Serbs would start dismantling the barricades. For around 20 days, the conflict in the Balkans between Serbia and Kosovo had intensified and led to road blockades. Serbia had even put the army on alert because of the tensions. On Wednesday, the NATO peacekeeping force Kfor stationed in Kosovo called on the parties to the conflict to exercise restraint and be willing to engage in dialogue. Around 50,000 Serbs live in the north of the predominantly Albanian Kosovo. They still refuse to recognize Kosovo as a state and are supported in this by the government in Belgrade. In 2008, with Western support, Kosovo declared its independence. The conflict has been smoldering for more than 20 years.