Serbia put the Army on high combat alert after acts of violence in Kosovo

2023-05-26 21:31:00

Photo: AFP.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, has placed the Army on maximum combat alert due to the situation in Kosovo and Metojia, official sources reported on Friday.

Defense Minister Milos Vucevic confirmed in an interview with TV Pink that the Army was placed on full combat alert and the Serbian troops were ordered to move towards Kosovo and Metojiaafter acts of violence committed by the Kosovar Albanian police.

“The president gave the order to put the Army on maximum combat alert because what it is doing (Kosovar Prime Minister Albin) Kurti takes us to the red lines and threatens the safety of the people living in that territory.”said Vucevic, quoted by the Sputnik agency.

Vucic’s move comes after Kosovar authorities attempted to appoint Albanian mayors in northern Kosovo after local self-government body elections held there on April 23. Local Serbs boycotted these self-governing bodies.

Previously, the online edition of the Vecernje novosti newspaper had published that “President Aleksandar Vucic, Commander-in-Chief of the Serbian Armed Forces, signed an order placing the country’s Army on maximum combat alert and ordered to urgently move towards the line administrative with Kosovo and Metojia.

The Serbian daily also highlights that the “head of state demanded that NATO immediately stop the violence against the Serbs” in Kosovo and Metojia.

Kosovo riot police secure the municipal government building after dispersing protesters. / Photo: AFP.

According to the Kosovo online portal, several people were hospitalized this Friday in the “divided” city of North Mitrovica, after a confrontation with the Kosovo police. The officers blocked the town halls of Leposavic, Zubin Potok and Zvecan in northern Kosovo.

Local Serbs congregated in front of the buildings to prevent the entry of police and Kosovar Albanian officials. Shortly after the clashes began. The Police entered the Zvecan town hall and used tear gas and flash grenades, shots were also heard. In Leposavic the telephone communication was cut, while in North Mitrovica air raid alarms sounded.

Kosovo, populated mostly by Albanians, proclaimed unilateral independence from Serbia in 2008, being recognized by the United States, Canada and most of the member countries of the European Union, but not by Serbia itself, Russia, China, Spain, Greece, Iran and other nations.

But also, Kosovo is home to an estimated 120,000 Serbs, many of whom remain loyal to Belgrade, especially in the northern areas near the border, where there are frequent riots, demonstrations, and occasional outbreaks of violence.