Last Monday, the Kosovo Police and American KFOR were attacked in Leposaviq, and this is not the first time.
The situation in the north continues to be fragile.
Vehicles of the Kosovo Police and American KFOR were attacked with glass bottles. As for the attack, the Kosovo Police has provided more detailed information in their report on the incident in Leposaviq.
“On May 6, 2024, around 04:05 on the road of Miokovicë village during the joint patrol of the Rapid Intervention Unit (NJNSH) of the Kosovo Police, together with the American KFOR, a car without plates of the Seat type, silver in color, blocked the road and then threw glass bottles towards the official vehicles. The suspect then fled towards some houses nearby in the village. The Kosovo Police, together with KFOR, identified the house and conducted a search where a male Kosovar suspect was arrested, who admitted to blocking the road and throwing the bottle.
During the search of the suspect’s house, a Serbian army jacket with emblem was found. The vehicle used to block the road was seized, and after interrogation by the competent investigative unit, the suspect was released pending regular procedure, while investigations regarding the case are ongoing,” the statement said.
Security expert Bedri Elelzi, in a statement to “Bota sot,” said that the security situation in the north is serious because there is a continuous risk of an organized violent attack.
“The security situation in northern Kosovo is currently very serious because we now have serious attacks in that area, firstly against members of the Kosovo Police and American KFOR officials, followed by the arrest of two Russian intelligence officers suspected to have come from Russian intelligence bases in that area. We have continuously stated that there is a risk of another violent activity in Kosovo like the one on September 24th in Banjskë and that we have a risk of individuals entering Kosovo territory and bringing various weapons. The passage of the two Russian intelligence officers is a clear indication that different individuals and various weapons can penetrate Kosovo and cannot be detected by law enforcement institutions. At the same time, the threat made against the senior member of the Kosovo Police by the Serbs should be taken into account, and the Kosovo Police has initiated an investigation into this case,” the expert emphasizes.
According to him, there is ample evidence pointing to the Serbs intending to escalate the situation.
He adds that the armed groups being trained within Serbian territory could infiltrate Kosovo just like the two Russian intelligence officers.
“There is sufficient evidence that there is an attempt to escalate the security situation in that area, and there is specific activity that is directly from the Serbo-Russian secret services, actions that are attempting to escalate the situation.
We cannot say that the security situation will improve soon, but we can say that the armed groups being trained within Serbian territory are supported by the forces of Serbia and those Russians can infiltrate just like the two Russian intelligence officers and enable them to act contrary to Kosovo’s criminal code, providing support for criminal structures in the north, and also may be useful for the Serbs who want to be part of these terrorist criminal groups.
Again, we can say that the security situation in the north has been transferred from a fragile situation to a serious one and that escalation can be expected in the north due to the facts mentioned above. Therefore, it is necessary for security institutions to ensure real-time information about the developments in that area,” he concludes for “Bota sot.”
