Serbs Will Not Tolerate Terrorism: What is Known About the Northern Kosovo Conflict

Three Serbs have been killed and two others severely wounded during clashes with police in the partially recognized Republic of Kosovo, as stated in a message to the public by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić.

Kosovo's police report that on the night of September 24, they conducted an operation against a "30-member armed group" that allegedly attacked law enforcement in the village of Bačka, killing one officer and injuring two others.

“We see armed men in uniforms with heavy weapons firing at us; we fire back,” said Veton Elshani, deputy commander of the police in Kosovo's northern region.

Kosovo police describe the "terrorists" as masked individuals armed with suppressed rifles, machine guns, hand grenades, and grenade launchers. Three of them have been killed, and six others have been detained, according to a police news release.

The statement clarifies that the shooting began near a monastery, and that the Serbian clergy from Novi Sad, along with newcomers and pilgrims, were unharmed.

Authorities in the partially recognized republic accused Serbia of instigating the clashes in their statements on September 24. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced that those with whom the police opened fire were “an organized force that has come to fight in Kosovo.” He asserted that all of them were dressed in military uniforms without identification markings, had concealed their faces, and were heavily armed.

The Albanian Post portal, citing its anonymous sources, reported that Kosovo police allegedly exchanged fire with soldiers from the Wagner PMC and special forces from the Russian military.

Vučić described these reports as “false propaganda from Pristina.” He claimed that all information circulating about “Wagner members” in the region is fake, as well as the photo shared by Albanian outlets of the alleged slain “sebi.”