Dozens of NATO peacekeeping soldiers injured in Kosovo after clashes

Europe, News May 31, 2023 , by IRIA No Comments

At least 34 soldiers from a NATO-led peacekeeping mission were injured in Kosovo after the worst clashes with Serb protestors in the Northern part of the country. Several of the injured soldiers were part of the Italian contingent of the peacekeeping mission.

Tensions have been rising in the northern part of Kosovo after ethnic Albanian mayor took office in the country’s Serb-majority region. NATO’s Kosovo Force (KOFR) tried to ease the tension and stop the violent protests.

According to the Italian Defense Ministry, 14 of its peacekeeping soldiers were injured after protestors threw “Molotov cocktails, with nails, firecrackers, and stones inside.” Hungarian and Moldovan soldiers were also among the injured peacekeeping troops.

Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni expressed her sympathy for the Italian KFOR soldiers injured in the clashes. She released a statement saying that “What is happening is absolutely unacceptable and irresponsible. We will not tolerate further attacks on KFOR.”

Rising violence

A new wave of violence erupted in Kosovo’s Serb-majority northern regions after Albanians and other smaller minority representatives were elected to the mayoral posts and assemblies. The votes were largely boycotted by the ethnic Serbs.

According to Kosovo’s local police, ethnic Serb protestors started gathering on the streets in the municipalities of Leposavic, Zubin Potok, and Zvecan. The situation became particularly tense in the Zveqan on May 29, 2023. Protestors gathered outside the town hall where they tried to storm inside the mayor’s office.

*^{U.S. KFOR soldiers stand guard in front of the municipality office, while ethnic Serbs gather to protest, in the town of Leposavic, Kosovo, on May 29, 2023. (Image Credit: Reuters/Valdrin Xhemaj)}*

Local police tried to repel the violent protestors using tear gas and water cannons before the NATO-led KOFR forces intervened. The KOFR troops attempted to disperse the crowd with batons and shields. Several protestors responded by hurling rocks, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at the forces, resulting in several injuries.

Serbia’s reactions

Serbia’s Prime Minister Ana Brnabic criticized NATO’s handling of the situation saying that KFOR was “not protecting the people, they are protecting the usurpers,” apparently referring to the new mayors. “But we must protect the peace. Peace is all we have,” she said.

Kosovo, once a Serbian province, declared its independence in 2008 a decade after the 1998-1999 war. The majority of Kosovo’s population consists of the Albanian ethnic groups, while Serbs account for the second largest ethnicity in the country. Half of Kosovo’s Serb population lives in the northern part and refuses to recognize Kosovo’s independence making it one of the most volatile regions in Eastern Europe.

After NATO’s intervention in 1999, Serbia completely pulled out from Kosovo but refused to recognize its independence. NATO established the KFOR peacekeeping mission in Kosovo which largely operates in the country’s northern parts.

More forces in Kosovo

Following the violent clashes this week, NATO has decided to deploy an additional 700 troops under the KFOR mission in Kosovo. According to Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, NATO has “decided to deploy 700 more troops from the operational reserve force for Western Balkans.” A typical NATO peacekeeping battalion ranges from 300 to 1000 soldiers, however, the peacekeeping mission in Kosovo currently consists of almost 3,800 troops.