NATO confirms 600 British troops will be stationed in Kosovo

Kosovo police officers and the NATO peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR) continue to provide security. Photo: Getty

About 600 British soldiers will be stationed in northern Kosovo amid fears of violence and a Serb army build-up in the region, NATO has confirmed.

It comes after Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic denied the reports that Belgrade is increasing troop levels near its border with Kosovo, complaining of a «campaign of lies» against his country after a deadly shootout that raised tensions between the two countries.

Associated Press reporters driving into the border region on Sunday said they saw several Serbian army vehicles heading into central Serbia, a sign that the military may be reducing its presence in the region.

United The United States called on Belgrade to withdraw its troops after the Kosovo government said it was controlling Serbian military movements from “three different directions.”

Vjosa Osmani, Kosovo's president, told Channel 4 News on Saturday that she «very much» welcomed the involvement of British and NATO troops «to deal with the very worrying situation that we are dealing with.»

Sunday evening NATO spokesman Dylan White said: “The UK is sending around 200 soldiers from the 1st Battalion, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment to join the 400-strong UK contingent already training in Kosovo, with further reinforcements to follow from other allies. .

“This decision follows the brutal attack on Kosovo police on September 24 and heightened tensions in the region.”

The alliance again called for calm and demanded that Belgrade and Pristina resume work. negotiations as soon as possible. Mr White said it was «the only way to achieve lasting peace».

A Kosovo policeman was killed last Sunday in an incident that marked one of the worst escalations in tensions in the region in years. in an ambush in the north of the country. A firefight ensued between Kosovo police special forces and heavily armed Serbs.

Serbia has denied Kosovo's claims that it trained a group of 30 people who opened fire on police last week.

Serbia denies recognize the independence of its former Albanian-majority southern province, excluding the northern region, ten years after a deadly war between Kosovo's independence guerrillas and Serb forces.