Armed squad invades Serbian north of Kosovo. Kadyrov makes a clear statement: the facade is crumbling

A military force has invaded northern Kosovo, inhabited almost exclusively by Serbs. “There are at least thirty heavily armed, uniformed, professional military or police officers surrounded by our police forces in the village of Banjska,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said at a press conference in Pristina on Sunday.

The team, which had probably arrived from neighboring Serbia, had already engaged in a battle with Kosovo police officers in the early morning hours. One officer was killed and another was injured, the Interior Ministry in Pristina confirmed. The attackers had apparently set up an ambush. Kosovo police came under fire while investigating two unmarked trucks. These were parked on a bridge blocking access to Banjska near the town of Mitrovica.

As Kurti continued, the squad has jeeps and even an armored transport vehicle. In the early morning battle, the attackers used rifle grenades and hand grenades in addition to automatic rifles. Kurti called Serbia responsible. It is an attack on the state of Kosovo. He called on the invaders, surrounded by Kosovo police units, to surrender.

It is the most serious incident in the tense relationship between Kosovo and Serbia in years. Kosovo, now inhabited almost exclusively by Albanians, seceded from Serbia in 1999 with NATO help and declared independence in 2008. More than a hundred countries, including Germany, recognize Kosovo’s independence. Serbia cannot accept this and wants its former province back. (cst/sda/dpa)