The State Department announced the partial withdrawal of Serbian troops from Kosovo

The US State Department is observing a partial withdrawal of Serbia’s forces from the border with Kosovo, department spokesman Vedant Patel said at briefing.

According to him, Serbia previously deployed an unprecedented amount of advanced artillery, tanks and motorized infantry units near the border with Kosovo.

“We called on Serbia to withdraw forces and reduce tensions. We note the partial withdrawal of forces and assets from the border with Kosovo as of September 29 and expect Serbia to continue de-escalation steps, including the withdrawal of forces,” he said.

The aggravation of the situation in Kosovo began on September 24 due to an armed clash in the territory of the Zvecan municipality. Kosovo authorities have accused Serbia of involvement in an attack on Kosovo police officers, resulting in the death of one of them. Later, the Kosovo police announced the liquidation of several people in the Banjska monastery who were allegedly involved in the attack on security forces.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in an unscheduled address to the nation, announced the deaths of ethnic Serbs during the conflict. According to him, two of them were killed with a sniper weapon. The Serbian leader believes that the reasons for the new wave of tension in Kosovo lie in the events of last fall, when Pristina demanded that Serbian car license plates be changed to Kosovar ones under the threat of fines and confiscations. On October 3, police detained businessman and Kosovo Serb leader Milan Radojcic, suspected of organizing the shootout.

In February 2023, with EU mediation, Serbia and Kosovo agreed on an 11-point settlement plan. Some of them related to the international status of Kosovo and asserted Serbia’s refusal to block Pristina’s entry into international organizations, including the UN.