US ready to prevent escalation of violence in northern Kosovo

The US commander participating in NATO's peacekeeping force in Kosovo affirmed his readiness to intervene to prevent escalating violence in the region.

"We are ready, trained and equipped to respond to any scenario in the region," Ross Walker, commander of the Texas National Guard force participating in NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, said on February 16.

The US is contributing about 570 troops to the Kosovo mission. The entire NATO force for the mission is about 4,500.

The total number of troops increased by about 1,000 after violence escalated in the region in September 2023, including a shootout between Kosovo police and gunmen from Serbia that left one policeman dead.

"While we are prepared to respond to any situation, we still expect that all issues can be resolved through peaceful dialogue," Walker said.

Soldiers of the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) in the town of Mitrovica, northern Kosovo on December 29, 2022. Photo: Reuters

Some US units in Kosovo are deployed near the town of Leposavic and patrolling the Serbian border. The US soldiers carry only handguns and go on foot on patrols, somewhat demonstrating the de-escalation of the situation compared to the last months of last year.

Kosovo government leader Albin Kurti accused Serbian intelligence services in December 2023 of helping to train extremists and preparing to escalate violence again at the border. The Serbian government has denied the accusation.

The situation in northern Kosovo continues to be tense as the community of about 50,000 ethnic Serbs does not accept the Kosovo government in Pristina.

Observers fear tensions could flare up again as Kosovo bans the use of Serbian dinars in public sector spending such as pensions, social welfare, education and health insurance. Mr Kurti said the measure was aimed at preventing illegal currency transactions at the border.

Several Western countries have asked Kosovo to delay the ban on the Serbian dinar to avoid escalating tensions.

Thanh Danh (According to Reuters )

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