NATO's Kosovo Force says it is closely monitoring developments, ready to respond

BELGRADE, Serbia

NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR), the alliance-led peacekeeping mission, said on Sunday that it is closely monitoring the situation in the country’s north with its troops on the ground and ready to respond.

“KFOR continues to closely monitor the situation in Banjske, and KFOR troops are present in the area, standing ready to respond if required,'' said the statement on X.

Earlier, a police officer was killed and another injured in a clash between a patrol unit of police and a group of armed ethnic Serbs in northern Kosovo.

KFOR said that the Kosovo police, as a first responder, has primary responsibility for managing the incident on the ground.

“The Commander of KFOR is in close and constant contact with all international stakeholders, including the EU, the Chief of Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, and with the Institutions in Kosovo, and is working intensively to find a solution,” the statement added.

Earlier, police said in a statement that a group of armed Serbs blocked a bridge leading to Banjska village, located near the city of Mitrovica, with two trucks lacking license plates.

A shootout erupted after the group opened fire on police who went to the scene to investigate the issue.

The statement said that two officers were shot in the clash, during which the armed group also threw hand grenades, adding that the injured officers were taken to the hospital.

Following the incident, a large number of security forces were dispatched to the region, and the Brnjak border crossing point between Kosovo and Serbia was closed.

Serbia and Kosovo face many disputes as Belgrade sees its neighbor as its territory and has blocked its efforts to join international organizations and obtain recognition from other states.

The leaders of the two nations met in EU-facilitated talks in Brussels to normalize relations. But, the parties have so far struggled to implement the agreements reached.