Title: Serbia Withdraws Troops from Kosovo Border Following Deadly Gun Battle
Belgrade, October 2, 2023 – Serbia has announced the withdrawal of some troops stationed near the border with Kosovo, in response to the recent surge in tensions following a deadly gun battle in northern Kosovo. Army Commander General Milan Mojsilovic revealed the reduction in troop numbers on Monday.
The escalation of tensions between Belgrade and Pristina began on September 24, when a group of armed Serbs barricaded themselves in a Serbian Orthodox monastery in the village of Banjska. The Kosovo police engaged in a firefight with the group, resulting in the deaths of three attackers and a police officer. The incident sparked concerns over stability in the predominantly Albanian Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
General Mojsilovic confirmed that Serbia had initially deployed 8,350 troops near the border with Kosovo but has now reduced the numbers to 4,500. He added that the army presence in the Ground Safety Zone, a strip 5 km wide and inside Serbia along the Kosovo border, has returned to normal.
However, the Serbian army has not raised its level of readiness, which stands at 22,500 soldiers according to Mojsilovic.
Amidst the tensions, Kosovo has called on Serbia to reduce the number of troops along the border, and the United States expressed its concerns over the Serbian military deployment. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller stated on Monday that the United States had not yet independently verified the withdrawal, but if confirmed, it would be a welcome step.
Miller further urged both parties to return to facilitated dialogue, highlighting the importance of de-escalation. Meanwhile, Pristina accused Serbia of providing financial and logistical support to the group involved in the gun battle, an allegation that Belgrade denied.
The involvement of Milan Radoicic, a Kosovo Serb politician who admitted to participating in the Banjska skirmishes, was clarified by General Mojsilovic. Mojsilovic affirmed that Radoicic did not take part in any training with the Serbian army.
The situation is particularly tense in northern Kosovo, where around 50,000 Serbs reside and do not recognize Pristina’s institutions. They perceive Belgrade as their capital and have frequently clashed with Kosovo police and international peacekeepers. Sunday’s violence marked a significant escalation in the region.
NATO, which has 4,500 troops stationed in Kosovo, authorized the deployment of additional forces to address the current situation.
The withdrawal of Serbian troops from the border is seen as a positive development, fostering hopes for mitigation of tensions in the region. Further efforts to promote dialogue and find a peaceful resolution to the ongoing conflict are anticipated.
Reporting by Ivana Sekularac and Aleksandar Vasovic; Additional reporting by Simone Lewis in Washington; Editing by Alex Richardson and Alison Williams