A military force has invaded the north of Kosovo, which is almost exclusively inhabited by Serbs. “There are at least 30 men, heavily armed, uniformed, professional military or police officers, who are surrounded by our police forces in the village of Banjska,” Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said at a press conference in Pristina.
The squad, which had probably arrived from neighboring Serbia, had already fought a battle with Kosovar police officers in the early hours of the morning. 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 and blocked 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 intruders surrounded by the Kosovo police units to surrender.
It is the worst 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 100 countries, including Germany, recognize Kosovo’s independence. Serbia cannot accept this and wants its former province back.
