Argument Escalates Between Kosovo and Serbia over Clashes at Monastery

Kosovo and Serbia are engaged in a dispute over a deadly confrontation between ethnic Serb gunmen and police in northern Kosovo. The clash occurred at a Serbian Orthodox monastery in Banjska village, resulting in the deaths of one policeman and three gunmen. Kosovo's Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, accused Serbia of supporting the armed group, whereas Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic held Kosovo officials responsible for the deaths. The incident has heightened tensions between the two sides, which have been escalating for months. Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia, along with China and Russia, refuses to recognize it. The majority of Kosovo's population is ethnic Albanian, while only a small percentage is ethnic Serb. The clash began after Kosovan police arrived at the monastery, where around 30 heavily armed gunmen had barricaded themselves earlier. Three of the gunmen were killed during battles throughout the day in what the Kosovo interior minister referred to as a "clearance operation." Six individuals were arrested, but it remains unclear if they participated in the attack. The Serbian Orthodox Church stated that the gunmen had departed the monastery during the night. In response to the incident, Prime Minister Kurti blamed "Serbia-sponsored criminals" for the intrusion, alleging that they were professionals with military and police backgrounds, supported and motivated by Belgrade. President Vucic, on the other hand, accused Kurti of provoking the situation and claimed that the only thing he desired was to instigate a war with NATO. Vucic also suggested that fewer casualties would have occurred had NATO-led peacekeepers intervened. The European Union's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, condemned the attack and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable. Tensions in Kosovo have been high since violent clashes followed disputed local elections in May, leading to the installation of Kosovo Albanian mayors in majority Serb areas. Borrell criticized Kurti for failing to establish an association of Serb-majority municipalities that would grant them greater autonomy. In response to unrest in the town of Zvecan following the elections, NATO deployed an additional 700 troops to Kosovo.