NATO announced on Friday that it has decided to send reinforcements to Kosovo due to the current crisis, reports Reuters.
We will always take all necessary actions to maintain a safe environment and freedom of movement for all people living in Kosovo. We do it impartially and in accordance with our UN mandate," the statement added.
"We are ready to make additional changes in the composition of KFOR, in accordance with the needs", the statement states, adding that KFOR continues to coordinate in close cooperation with all relevant actors in Belgrade and Pristina, as well as with the EULEX mission, the OSCE -, UNMIK and the diplomatic community.
"We call on all parties to immediately de-escalate." We invite Belgrade and Pristina to engage in dialogue mediated by the EU, as the only way to resolve important issues and reach solutions that respect the rights of all communities. This is the key to permanent security in Kosovo and stability in the region," the NATO statement concludes.
In May 2023, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that an additional 700 soldiers will be deployed in Kosovo.
"We have decided to deploy 700 more soldiers from the Reserve Task Force to the Western Balkans and to put an additional reserve force battalion on high alert so that it can also be deployed as needed" Stoltenberg said. About 25 soldiers of the NATO Peacekeeping Mission in Kosovo (KFOR) were injured on May 29, 2023, during the suppression of demonstrators protesting in the municipality of Zvečan, in the north of Kosovo.
A small contingent of British troops continues to serve in Kosovo with KFOR, which now comprises around 3.500 soldiers from over 30 countries, including non-NATO countries.
To recall, NATO has been leading a peacekeeping operation in Kosovo since June 1999 in support of broader international efforts to build peace and stability in that area.
MJ/Reuters
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