Serbia arrests Kosovo police, Pristina says they were kidnapped

Serbia said on Wednesday (June 14) that it had arrested three Kosovan police officials on its territory. Kosovo has claimed that the group had been kidnapped from within its borders. The recent flare-up between the two countries came just weeks after riots in northern Kosovo which saw 30 NATO peacekeepers getting injured.

Serbia said the officers were armed with automatic weapons and in full military gear with GPS devices, maps and other equipment.

"The attempt of the so-called Kosovo police to invade the territory of central Serbia was successfully prevented, which by all parameters is a terrorist act," it said in a statement to Serbian state broadcaster RTS.

A video published by Serbian police showed masked men leading a group of men in handcuffs.

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Police in Kosovo said the group belonged to a border patrol unit and had gone missing after they reported an incursion of masked and armed men in the area.

Kosovo's Interior Minister Xhelal Svecla pointed the finger firmly at Serbia for abducting the group.

"Criminal Serbia entered the territory of Kosovo and kidnapped three police officers of the Republic of Kosovo, in violation... of international norms," Svecla said.

"Without any doubt, our police officers had been stationed deep within the territory of the Republic of Kosovo, at a static checkpoint, performing their regular duties."

Tensions have been high between Serbia and Kosovo after the latter's decision to install ethnic Albanian mayors in Serb-majority municipalities. The election to elect these mayors saw voter turnout of less than five per cent and ethnic Serbs do not consider these mayors as their representatives.

The rivalry

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The development took place a decade after NATO forces helped push Serbian forces out of Kosovo during a bloody war that claimed around 13,000 lives.

Kosovo enjoys the backing of the US while Serbia is supported by Russia and China. Both of these countries have refused to recognise Kosovo as a country because of which it currently does not have a seat in the United Nations.

Kosovo is overwhelmingly populated by ethnic Albanians.

However, in northern Kosovo near the border with Serbia, several municipalities have an ethnic Serb majority.

Serbia has long seen Kosovo as its spiritual and historical homeland, the scene of pivotal battles overcenturies. It continues to host some of the Serbian Orthodox Church's most revered monasteries.

(With inputs from agencies)

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