NATO’s Kosovo Force ready to intervene if unrest erupts with Serbia

NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) stated on Sunday that it is ready to intervene if stability is threatened in the northern municipalities of Kosovo after alleged confrontation at the Serbian border.

 

”The overall security situation in the northern municipalities of Kosovo is tense. The NATO-led KFOR mission is closely monitoring and is prepared to intervene if stability is threatened, in accordance with its mandate, which emerges from UN Security Council Resolution 1244 of 1999,” said the statement.

 

KFOR has already sent troops to patrol the streets.

 

Tensions between Serbia and Kosovo rose Sunday ahead of Kosovo’s new legislation scheduled to come into effect Monday making it mandatory for everyone, including Serbs living in Kosovo, to have a Kosovo ID card and license plate.

 

Kosovo, which Albanians predominantly inhabit, broke away from Serbia back in 1999 and declared its independence in 2008. It is recognized by more than 100 countries, including the US, UK, France, Germany and Türkiye. 

 

Serbia has refused to recognize Kosovo and continues to lay claim to the territory.​​​​​​​