Shootout in Kosovo village leaves one police officer dead and three attackers killed
In a recent escalation of violence in northern Kosovo, a shootout between Kosovo police and armed attackers has resulted in the death of one police officer and three attackers. The incident took place in the village of Banjska and began just hours after an ambush incident in which another police officer was killed and one injured.
According to Kosovo police, the standoff started when 30 armed men resisted police officers who had arrived at the scene. Shots were fired, and during the exchange of fire, one police officer was killed and another injured. The shooting took place near a monastery in the village.
Earlier, police had already killed one attacker in what they claimed was self-defense and detained four suspects found to be in illegal possession of radios and suspected of being linked to criminal groups. The police later confirmed the killing of two heavily armed masked attackers and the arrest of another armed attacker. The security situation in the village remains tense, with attacks against police units continuing.
Kosovo police also discovered logistical equipment, suspected military vehicles, military uniforms, weapons, and ammunition at a residential location used by the attackers. They have called on criminal groups to surrender to the justice authorities and urged citizens to cooperate with law enforcement agencies for the sake of general security.
The incident is a serious escalation in an already unrest-prone region. Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008, is predominantly Albanian. However, Banjska and other villages in the north are predominantly Serbian, with residents considering themselves part of Serbia. Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have escalated in recent months, leading to violent protests and clashes that have left dozens of NATO peacekeepers injured.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti described the shooting in Banjska as a “terror attack” conducted by Serbian criminal gangs. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemned the attack and called for a de-escalation of the situation, emphasizing the need for responsible perpetrators to face justice.
The EU mission in Kosovo, EULEX, is on the ground and in close contact with the authorities and the NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR). The EU and its member states have repeatedly urged all actors to work towards de-escalation in the region.