The authorities in Pristina have identified 45 members of a "terrorist organization" of Kosovo Serbs who were allegedly involved in recent attacks on local police and representatives of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday
BELGRADE (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 03rd July, 2023) The authorities in Pristina have identified 45 members of a "terrorist organization" of Kosovo Serbs who were allegedly involved in recent attacks on local police and representatives of the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR), Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti said on Monday.
Last Thursday, Kurti said that the organizations known as the Civil Protection and the Northern Brigade, which allegedly operate in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, had been officially declared terrorist organizations by the Kosovar government. The announcement came despite the fact that both associations are not registered anywhere and are not represented by anyone. Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Sunday expressed doubt about the very fact of their existence.
"So far, 45 people have been identified, who were involved in the attacks on the KFOR troops, police and journalists and used weapons ... We have countless facts and evidence that this is a terrorist organization," Kurti was quoted as saying by the Kosovo Online news portal.
In response, Kosovo's Serb List party, which represents the interests of the Kosovo Serb community, urged the Serbian government to declare all Kosovo Albanian security forces in northern Kosovska Mitrovica terrorists, accusing them of carrying out terrorist acts against the Serbian population.
In late May, clashes erupted after Kosovo forcibly installed new ethnic Albanian mayors in office in several northern cities following municipal elections in April. The polls were boycotted by the Serb community but declared valid despite a less than 3.5% voter turnout. More than 50 Serbian protesters and at least 30 NATO peacekeeping troops were injured in the clashes.
Serbia has still not recognized the self-proclaimed independence of Kosovo, its former province which it continues to refer to as its Kosovo and Metohija region. A large ethnic Serb community is still residing in Kosovo's north, often bearing the brunt of diplomatic tensions between Belgrade and Pristina, and protesting what they consider discriminatory Kosovar policies.
