Serbian gov't office: So-called KSF in northern Kosovo-Metohija a dangerous threat to Serbs

BELGRADE - The Serbian government Office for Kosovo-Metohija said Thursday's deployment of so-called Kosovo Security Force troops to the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica was a direct violation of firm NATO guarantees that the troops were not allowed to set foot in the north of Kosovo-Metohija without KFOR permission, and noted that this was a dangerous threat to Serbs in the north of the province.

In a statement, it demanded an urgent reaction by the international community and an immediate withdrawal of the so-called KSF from the north of Kosovo-Metohija, as well as a clear reaction by KFOR and an answer to the question of who had allowed the so-called KSF to enter the north of the province.

It said Pristina's PM Albin Kurti had sent two trucks and four "humvees" of the so-called KSF to the north of Kosovo-Metohija and that footage from Thursday morning showed the vehicles entering the northern part of Kosovska Mitrovica in the vicinity of a petrol station.

It also noted that Kurti had dispatched the troops a day after a visit by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, who demanded that Pristina urgently deescalate the situation in the province.

That is another escalatory move whereby Kurti is turning a deaf ear on a request by the EU and the international community, the Office said.

Kurti deployed the so-called KSF to the north of Kosovo-Metohija after poor results in local elections and a strong Srpska lista victory, sending a message that he does not want peace or coexistence, but a new expulsion of the Serbs, the Office said.

Footage uploaded to social media showed a column of vehicles of the so-called KSF passing through the north of Kosovska Mitrovica in the morning.

Under an agreement from 2013, the so-called KSF is not allowed to enter the north of Kosovo-Metohija without permission from the KFOR commander.

In a statement, the so-called KSF said its troops had crossed into the north of Kosovska Mitrovica "by mistake."