NATO Says Able to Enhance Presence in Kosovo

NATO mentioned Friday it was prepared to extend its peacekeeping drive in Kosovo following lethal clashes.

The killing of a Kosovo police officer and an ensuing gun battle at a monastery in a village near the Serbian border on Sunday marked one of many gravest escalations within the former breakaway province in years.

NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg mentioned that on Thursday he had “authorised extra forces to handle the present state of affairs.”

His assertion didn’t give particulars, however Britain’s protection ministry mentioned it had made a battalion of between 500 and 650 troops out there to the drive, referred to as KFOR.

The battalion just lately arrived within the area for long-planned workouts, the British ministry mentioned.

“We’ll at all times take all crucial actions to keep up a secure and safe setting and freedom of motion for all folks dwelling in Kosovo,” Stoltenberg mentioned.

Within the north of Kosovo, the place the Serb minority is concentrated, KFOR has determined to “enhance its presence and exercise,” added a NATO official who requested anonymity.

The official defined that KFOR had already elevated its presence in Kosovo in Might, deploying round 500 Turkish troops, who had been subsequently changed by Bulgarian and Greek troopers.

He added that KFOR was ready to make “additional changes” if essential to allow it to meet its peacekeeping mandate.

The White Home mentioned Friday it had detected a big build-up of Serbian forces on the Kosovo border and urged Belgrade to withdraw them to keep away from destabilizing the state of affairs.