Serbia demands that NATO takes over the policing of Kosovo’s north after a deadly shootout

BELGRADE – Serbia’s president demanded on Tuesday that NATO-led troops stationed in Kosovo take over the safety from police in the north of the nation, days after violent clashes between armed Serbs and Kosovo police left one officer and 3 gunmen lifeless.

A daylong shootout in northern Kosovo on Sunday additional raised tensions in the Balkan region at a time when European Union and U.S. mediators had been pushing for a deal that would normalize ties between the wartime foes.

The violence over the weekend was once one of the worst confrontations in Kosovo because it declared independence from Serbia in 2008.

Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused Serbia of logistically supporting “the terrorist, criminal, professional unit” that clashed with the police. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denied the ones claims, pronouncing the gunmen had been native Kosovo Serbs “who no longer want to withstand Kurti’s terror.”

On Tuesday in Belgrade, Vučić met with ambassadors from 5 Western nations and the EU hard that NATO-led troops stationed in Kosovo, referred to as KFOR, take over “all the security matters in the north of Kosovo instead of Kurti’s police.”

There are round 4,500 KFOR peacekeeping troops stationed in Kosovo. There was once no rapid response from NATO to Vučić’s request, however it’s extremely not likely that it could be authorized as a result of the number one process of the troops is peacekeeping and no longer policing.

Vučić additionally stated in an Instagram post that those are “one of the hardest moments for Serbia.” Earlier, the govt proclaimed a day of mourning on Wednesday as a result of of “the tragic events,” relating to the shootout.

A Kosovo Serb celebration allied with Vučić proclaimed 3 days of mourning beginning Tuesday in the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo for the 3 killed Serb assailants.

On Tuesday in Pristina, a Kosovar courtroom made up our minds to stay 3 of the six arrested gunman for a month in pretrial detention. They are accused of violating the nation’s charter and of terror acts.

On Sunday, about 30 males in in battle uniforms opened hearth on a police patrol close to the village of Banjska in the early hours of the morning, killing one officer and wounding every other. They then fled to a within sight Serbian Orthodox monastery, breaking down the gates with an armored staff service earlier than barricading themselves in with clergymen and visiting pilgrims.

The standoff ended when maximum of the assailants escaped on foot below quilt of darkness on Sunday night time. Three of the gunmen had been shot and killed by way of police.

Serbia and Kosovo, its former province, had been at odds for many years. Their 1998-99 war left greater than 10,000 folks lifeless, most commonly Kosovo Albanians. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, however Belgrade has refused to acknowledge the transfer.

The EU, with the backing of the U.S., has been brokering negotiations between the two sides. In February, Kurti and Vučić gave their approval to a 10-point EU plan, however have since distanced themselves from the agreement.

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Llazar Semini contributed to this file from Tirana, Albania.