BELGRADE, Serbia — Serbia’s president demanded on Tuesday that NATO-led troops stationed in Kosovo take over the safety from police within the north of the nation, days after violent clashes between armed Serbs and Kosovo police left one officer and three gunmen useless.
A daylong shootout in northern Kosovo on Sunday additional raised tensions within the Balkan area at a time when European Union and U.S. mediators have been pushing for a deal that will normalize ties between the wartime foes.
The violence over the weekend was one of many worst confrontations in Kosovo because it declared independence from Serbia in 2008.
Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti accused Serbia of logistically supporting “the terrorist, legal, skilled unit” that clashed with the police. Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić denied these claims, saying the gunmen had been native Kosovo Serbs “who not wish to face up to Kurti’s terror.”
On Tuesday in Belgrade, Vučić met with ambassadors from 5 Western international locations and the EU demanding that NATO-led troops stationed in Kosovo, generally known as KFOR, take over “all the safety issues within the north of Kosovo as an alternative of Kurti’s police.”
There are round 4,500 KFOR peacekeeping troops stationed in Kosovo. There was no instant response from NATO to Vučić’s request, however it’s extremely unlikely that it could be accepted as a result of the first process of the troops is peacekeeping and never policing.
Vučić additionally stated in an Instagram publish that these are “one of many hardest moments for Serbia.” Earlier, the federal government proclaimed a day of mourning on Wednesday due to “the tragic occasions,” referring to the shootout.
A Kosovo Serb celebration allied with Vučić proclaimed three days of mourning beginning Tuesday within the Serb-dominated north of Kosovo for the three killed Serb assailants.
On Tuesday in Pristina, a Kosovar court docket determined to maintain three of the six arrested gunman for a month in pretrial detention. They’re accused of violating the nation’s structure and of terror acts.
On Sunday, about 30 males in in fight uniforms opened fireplace on a police patrol close to the village of Banjska within the early hours of the morning, killing one officer and wounding one other. They then fled to a close-by Serbian Orthodox monastery, breaking down the gates with an armored personnel provider earlier than barricading themselves in with monks and visiting pilgrims.
The standoff ended when many of the assailants escaped on foot beneath cowl of darkness on Sunday night. Three of the gunmen had been shot and killed by police.
Serbia and Kosovo, its former province, have been at odds for many years. Their 1998-99 warfare left greater than 10,000 individuals useless, principally Kosovo Albanians. Kosovo unilaterally declared independence in 2008, however Belgrade has refused to acknowledge the transfer.
The EU, with the backing of the U.S., has been brokering negotiations between the 2 sides. In February, Kurti and Vučić gave their approval to a 10-point EU plan, however have since distanced themselves from the settlement.
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Llazar Semini contributed to this report from Tirana, Albania.