New tensions in the conflict: Soldier fires on Serbian boys in Kosovo
Created: 07/01/2023 17:04
By: Mark Stoffers
An incident has occurred in Kosovo that could trigger new tensions.
A soldier fires on two Serbs.
© IMAGO/Vudi Xhymshiti
The news of new tensions in Kosovo does not stop.
A Kosovar soldier shot at a car, injuring two Serbs - including an 11-year-old.
Strpce - New tensions in the ongoing conflict between Serbia and Kosovo.
An incident occurred in southern Kosovo on Friday when two ethnic Serbs were injured by gunfire from a car.
According to the police, the suspected shooter was a 33-year-old soldier of the Kosovo security forces.
He was arrested by officials a little later, as reported by the media in Pristina on Saturday, citing the police about the incident in Kosovo.
New tensions in the Serbia-Kosovo conflict: Young man and 11-year-old injured by soldier
The soldier who is said to have fired the shots is suspected of attempted murder.
The two victims - a 21-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy - underwent surgery at the hospital and are out of danger.
Still, the incident could potentially spark new tensions in the Kosovo-Serbia conflict.
Meanwhile, experts disagree on how dangerous the powder keg in the heart of Europe is.
According to one expert, the situation is still to be regarded as "serious, but not a risk of war", since the Serbian order to increase combat readiness in December 2022 caused a new stage in the Kosovo-Serbia conflict, which was heating up.
Kosovan President Vjosa Osmani and Prime Minister Albin Kurti condemned the act.
The incident happened in the village of Gotovusa near the southern Kosovan town of Strpce.
On Friday, the orthodox Serbs in the region celebrated Christmas Eve according to their calendar.
Serbs live in the area around Strpce.
Serbia-Kosovo conflict: Political leadership on both sides keeps adding fuel to the fire
The vast majority of the population in Kosovo is made up of Albanians.
The former Serbian province declared itself independent in 2008.
Serbia has not recognized this step and continues to claim the territory of Kosovo, which repeatedly creates tensions and threatens an escalation of the Serbia-Kosovo conflict.
Both sides do not deviate from their position and the political leaders of both countries pour fuel on the fire again and again.
Among other things, Serbia's Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic stands out, repeatedly stepping into the limelight with statements "like no capitulation" or insults to the other side.
The smoldering Serbia-Kosovo conflict moved into the focus of international politics when media reports said that a Serbian military convoy was on its way to the Kosovo border.
Foreign Minister Baerbock had also commented on the increasing tensions and was accused of sabotage by Russia and equally harsh words by Serbia.
Reports of a large-scale demonstration and the closure of the largest border crossing in northern Kosovo also caused a stir.
New tensions in the Serbia-Kosovo conflict: The crisis is actually limited to northern Kosovo
Tensions have repeatedly flared up between Serbs and Albanians, especially in the north around the divided city of Mitrovica.
Internationally, Belgrade in particular is held responsible for incidents.
At the end of 2022, militant Serbs erected barricades in a dozen places in northern Kosovo, which, among other things, blocked the access routes to two border crossings to Serbia.
In contrast, incidents in the Serbian settlement areas outside the Mitrovica region are rather rare.
