Serbian blamed for shooting incident resulting in death of Kosovo police officer

In a shooting incident in Kosovo near Serbia, a police officer was killed and another injured. Prime Minister Albin Kurti described the attack in the village of Banjska as carried out by professionals using heavy weapons. Tensions in Kosovo have been escalating since violent clashes broke out after a disputed local election in May. Political talks mediated by the EU to stabilize the situation have stalled. It is worth noting that Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but Serbia, China, and Russia do not recognize it. While many Serbs consider Kosovo as the birthplace of their nation, the majority of the population in Kosovo is Albanian. The shooting occurred after police responded to a reported blockade near the border with Serbia. Authorities stated that the officers were attacked from multiple positions with various firearms and explosives. Prime Minister Kurti accused organized crime groups with support from Belgrade of targeting Kosovo, promising punishment for those responsible. President Vjosa Osmani denounced the incident as an attack on law and order, urging Kosovo's allies to support the establishment of stability. Serbia has yet to comment on the incident. Unrest in northern Kosovo erupted in May when Kosovo Albanian mayors were placed in majority-Serb areas following a Serb boycott of local polls. In response to the election-related turmoil, NATO deployed additional troops to Kosovo. The recent EU-mediated talks collapsed, with blame placed on Prime Minister Kurti for failing to establish an association of Serb-majority municipalities with greater autonomy.