Serbian army puts it troops on highest combat readiness amidst mounting tensions in Kosovo


UN KFOR peacekeepers monitoring the situation on a Serb-majority region in Northern Kosovo

The Serbian army says it is at its "highest level of combat readiness" after weeks of escalating tensions between Serbia and Kosovo.

President Aleksandar Vucic says he will "take all measures to protect our people and preserve Serbia".

The sabre-rattling is louder than ever and follows some media claims in Serbia that Pristina is preparing "an attack" on ethnic Serb areas in north Kosovo.

The government in Pristina has made no comment about the allegations.

But it has previously accused Mr Vucic of playing "games" to stir up trouble.

Kosovo, which has an overwhelmingly ethnic Albanian majority, broke away from Serbia after a war in 1998-99. Serbia does not recognise Kosovo as an independent state, nor do the ethnic Serbs who live there.

Belgrade accuses Kosovo of plotting "terrorism against Serbs" in areas where some 50,000 ethnic Serbs live.

In return, Pristina says Belgrade is behind "paramilitary formations" that set up roadblocks in majority Serb areas of north Kosovo on 10 December.

The European Union has been attempting to mediate. The 27-member bloc is calling for "maximum restraint and immediate action" and for the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to "personally contribute to a political solution".

Belgrade has increased its armed presence on the border in recent days after conflicting reports about a shooting incident in which no-one was hurt. Reports from Belgrade alleged ethnic Serbs came under attack, but the claim was rejected by Kosovo authorities in Pristina.

Nevertheless, Serbia appeared to use the reports to justify intensifying its military presence on the border.

sos



Oh damn

In this photo provided by the Serbian Defense Ministry Press Service, Serbian army self-propelled 155 mm gun-howitzers are seen on position near administrative line with Kosovo, south Serbia, Monday, Dec. 26, 2022. Kosovo remains a potential flashpoint in the Balkans years after the 1998-99 war that ended with NATO intervention. Serbia doesn't recognize the 2008 declaration of independence of its former province, while Western efforts to mediate a solution so far have failed. (Serbian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP)

I think you're confusing Bosnian serbs and Serbia itself. Cases of ethnic cleansing and massacres in Bosnia are perpetrated by Serbians living in Bosnia who want either an independent Serbian republic or a merger with Serbia, not the state of Serbia itself.

On 26 February 2007, however, in the Bosnian genocide case, the United Nations International Court of Justice (ICJ) found that there was no evidence linking Serbia under the rule of Milošević to genocide committed by Bosnian Serbs in the Bosnian War. However, the court did find that Milošević and others in Serbia did not do enough to prevent acts of genocide from occurring in Srebrenica

Kosovar Serbians start to dismantle border barricades, easing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo



Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo appear to have eased following a decision to remove barricades blocking the main border crossing.

Ethnic Serbs in Kosovo began erecting the blocks on 10 December in protest at an ex-police officer's arrest.

The decision to end the blockade was made after protesters held late night talks with Serbia's president.

However, Aleksandar Vucic has warned that mistrust among Kosovo's Serbian minority remains high.

He has said that dismantling all the barriers could take days.

However, Kosovo police said that Merdare, Kosovo's primary border crossing with Serbia, had been reopened after roadblocks came down on the Serbian side.

Nato's peacekeeping force in Kosovo has welcomed the removal of the barriers, while the EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said "diplomacy prevailed in de-escalating tension".

The move comes just days after the Serbian army said it was at its "highest level of combat readiness" over increased tensions with Pristina.

sos

In the case of Yugoslav wars, nationalism too strong, cannot accept multiculturism

Heavy clashes between Kosovar serbs and Kosovar police backed by KFOR soldiers, gunfire and grenade explosions ring. Multiple casualties reported, some in critical condition.

Oh damn

I can't tell if those are blood trails or just water.....

Recently some Kosovo regions with Serbian majority held municipal elections. Due to election laws, voters need to show a Kosovo ID card which is a big issue with ethnic serbians who do not officially recognize Kosovo as a state.

This resulted in a total boycott of the election by the serbs. The municipal elections recorded all the regions have landslide victory for Kosovo Albanian candidates with as little as 4% voter turnout. Now the Kosovo gov want to enforce that win by throwing out the current local government and installing the election winners.

Kosovo police, supported by KFOR soldiers attempt to stop serb protestors from marching towards the municipal administration buildings and here we are.

NATO troops under UN mandate, tasked to act as peacekeepers in Kosovo

KFOR


This post has been edited by MilitaryMadness: May 30 2023, 09:10 AM

Totally normal NATO supporter responds to Kosovo news

Serbian President Alexander Vucic meets with Russian and Chinese ambassadors after violence erupts in Kosovo