As the foreign policy decisions of President Joe Biden and his counterparts in the European Union continue to unravel the tenuous peace of post-Cold War Europe, tensions have erupted into violence in Kosovo leaving at least 34 NATO peacekeepers injured.
Over the past week, ethnically Albanian mayors have taken office in northern Kosovo, an area with a majority of Kosovan Serbs. The election created a backlash after the Serbs boycotted the voting, resulting in a sweep by the ethnic Albanians, per CNN.
The Kosovo Force of KFOR from NATO told reporters that the tensions building in the former Serbian province necessitated increased troop deployments in the area. They later said the disturbances turned violent.
Human Events' Jack Posobiec reported, "The current Prime Minister of Kosovo is cracking down on the Serbian minority and recently ordered troops to take local Serbian town centers by force Even the Biden admin demanded he back down but hasn't."
"The United States strongly condemns the actions by the Government of Kosovo to access municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo by force, actions it took against the advice of the United States and Kosovo’s European partners. These actions have sharply and unnecessarily escalated tensions, undermining our efforts to help normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia and will have consequences for our bilateral relations with Kosovo. We call on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to reverse course and on all sides to refrain from any further actions that will inflame tensions and promote conflict."
The Italian Defense Ministry told the outlet that 14 of Rome's peacekeeping soldiers were injured by thrown "Molotov cocktails, with nails, firecrackers and stones inside." Soldiers from Hungary and Moldova were also injured.
“Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingent were the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices,” the Italian officials said. KFOR medical units responded to the emergency and rendered aid to the soldiers.
The statement noted, "While countering the most active fringes of the crowd, several soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingent were the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices."
Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni offered her sympathies to the Italian soldiers injured while under NATO command. “What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible. We will not tolerate further attacks on KFOR," she said in a statement.
Serbian authorities presented an opposing narrative, claiming through Nemanja Starović, Serbian State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, that "many" of the so-called protestors were injured by the KFOR peacekeepers. He accused the NATO forces of using flash grenades on the "peaceful" protestors when they had "decided to disperse and continue the protest tomorrow morning," according to CNN.
In a statement released Tuesday KFOR said, "KFOR Mission Commander, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, is personally following the development of the situation and expresses his solidarity with the NATO soldiers who were injured during the clashes and their families: "To avoid the clashes between the parties and to minimize the risk of the escalation, KFOR peace-keepers prevented threats that the lives of Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. Both parties need to take full responsibility for what happened and prevent any further escalation, rather than hide behind false narratives."
NATO is now deploying 700 more troops into the region to quell any additional outbreaks of violence, according to ABC News. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that another reserve battalion will also be put on high readiness should more troops be required. Stoltenberg added, "These are prudent steps," from Oslo, Norway. The total KFOR peacekeeping mission presently has 3,800 troops available. The Secretary-General warned that NATO will “take all necessary actions to maintain a safe and secure environment for all citizens in Kosovo.”
You can follow Matt Holloway on Facebook, Twitter, TruthSocial, Gettr, Gab & Parler.
Over the past week, ethnically Albanian mayors have taken office in northern Kosovo, an area with a majority of Kosovan Serbs. The election created a backlash after the Serbs boycotted the voting, resulting in a sweep by the ethnic Albanians, per CNN.
The Kosovo Force of KFOR from NATO told reporters that the tensions building in the former Serbian province necessitated increased troop deployments in the area. They later said the disturbances turned violent.
Human Events' Jack Posobiec reported, "The current Prime Minister of Kosovo is cracking down on the Serbian minority and recently ordered troops to take local Serbian town centers by force Even the Biden admin demanded he back down but hasn't."
Posobiec cited a statement from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken which condemned the crackdown:The current Prime Minister of Kosovo is cracking down on the Serbian minority and recently ordered troops to take local Serbian town centers by force
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) May 30, 2023
Even the Biden admin demanded he back down but hasn't https://t.co/ftZLll23a3
"The United States strongly condemns the actions by the Government of Kosovo to access municipal buildings in the north of Kosovo by force, actions it took against the advice of the United States and Kosovo’s European partners. These actions have sharply and unnecessarily escalated tensions, undermining our efforts to help normalize relations between Kosovo and Serbia and will have consequences for our bilateral relations with Kosovo. We call on Prime Minister Albin Kurti to reverse course and on all sides to refrain from any further actions that will inflame tensions and promote conflict."
The Italian Defense Ministry told the outlet that 14 of Rome's peacekeeping soldiers were injured by thrown "Molotov cocktails, with nails, firecrackers and stones inside." Soldiers from Hungary and Moldova were also injured.
“Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingent were the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices,” the Italian officials said. KFOR medical units responded to the emergency and rendered aid to the soldiers.
A KFOR statement confirmed that units were deployed to four municipalities in Northern Kosovo "in order to contain the violent demonstrations happened after that the newly elected mayors in recent days tried to take office."#KFOR statement pic.twitter.com/kfYybyqC2G
— NATO Kosovo Force - KFOR (@NATO_KFOR) May 29, 2023
The statement noted, "While countering the most active fringes of the crowd, several soldiers of the Italian and Hungarian KFOR contingent were the subject of unprovoked attacks and sustained trauma wounds with fractures and burns due to the explosion of incendiary devices."
Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni offered her sympathies to the Italian soldiers injured while under NATO command. “What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible. We will not tolerate further attacks on KFOR," she said in a statement.
Serbian authorities presented an opposing narrative, claiming through Nemanja Starović, Serbian State Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, that "many" of the so-called protestors were injured by the KFOR peacekeepers. He accused the NATO forces of using flash grenades on the "peaceful" protestors when they had "decided to disperse and continue the protest tomorrow morning," according to CNN.
In a statement released Tuesday KFOR said, "KFOR Mission Commander, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, is personally following the development of the situation and expresses his solidarity with the NATO soldiers who were injured during the clashes and their families: "To avoid the clashes between the parties and to minimize the risk of the escalation, KFOR peace-keepers prevented threats that the lives of Kosovo Serbs and Kosovo Albanians. Both parties need to take full responsibility for what happened and prevent any further escalation, rather than hide behind false narratives."
#KFOR statement pic.twitter.com/0cnmW5PRfn
— NATO Kosovo Force - KFOR (@NATO_KFOR) May 30, 2023
NATO is now deploying 700 more troops into the region to quell any additional outbreaks of violence, according to ABC News. NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters that another reserve battalion will also be put on high readiness should more troops be required. Stoltenberg added, "These are prudent steps," from Oslo, Norway. The total KFOR peacekeeping mission presently has 3,800 troops available. The Secretary-General warned that NATO will “take all necessary actions to maintain a safe and secure environment for all citizens in Kosovo.”
You can follow Matt Holloway on Facebook, Twitter, TruthSocial, Gettr, Gab & Parler.
- Article Source:
DC Enquirer
- Photo: Ferdi Limani / Getty Images
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