Kosovo Police: Armed criminal groups are circulating in the North

The Kosovo Police has described the current situation in the North of Kosovo.

In a communiqué for the media, the police clarified that in the three municipalities in the north of Kosovo, where the protest is being held between the Serbs and KFOR, the situation continues to be tense, while they have requested that calm be maintained.

Also, the Police announces that five people have been arrested, while in Zveqan, they emphasize that there are armed persons/criminal groups, dressed in black and masked clothes.

Full release:

Maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law in a professional, effective and efficient manner, as well as providing security to all citizens without distinction, remains the duty and continuous commitment of the Kosovo Police (KP). The Kosovo Police is continuing its commitments in providing security and the progress of the protests, which are continuing near three municipalities in the north of the country: Leposaviq, Zubin Potok and Zveqan.

In Zveqan, the protesters continued to be non-peaceful and continuously provoked the situation, showed violence, threw various objects at police officers, placed and wrote provocative inscriptions with Serbian and Russian symbols on police and KFOR vehicles. , as well as damaged the tires and other parts of the vehicles.

Journalists from various media were also hindered and threatened by masked protesters, whose vehicles were damaged, one of them was burned, and Serbian nationalist inscriptions were also written on them. As far as possible, the KP has provided security to the media/journalists by moving them to the security perimeter.

Sirens/alarms have been continuously issued in the northern municipalities in order to re-mobilize them, until now also in Leposaviq protesters have thrown various objects and fireworks/pyrotechnic devices at officials and police vehicles.

The Kosovo Police has shown itself to be professional and self-restrained, avoiding continuous provocations, as well as asking the protesters to protest peacefully, not to attack and endanger the lives of police officers, to clear the road and official vehicles for traffic, as well as not to damage police and citizens' vehicles, in order not to de-escalate the situation. The KFOR officials who were present have continuously made such a request to the protesters, but the situation has continued to be the same.

The Kosovo Police has continuously coordinated with KFOR to manage the situation. KFOR have been forced to act as the violence of the protesters has put the lives of officials at risk, damage to vehicles and public property has been put at risk.

Protestuesit në Zveqan nuk kanë zbatuar urdhrat zyrtar për largim, por kanë rezistuar dhe kanë filluar të hedhin mjete të ndryshme, koktej molotovi, shok bombë, mjete eksplozive si dhe janë dëgjuar gjuajtje me armë zjarri.

Si pasojë e dhunës së shfrenuar deri më tani janë lënduar/plagosur disa zyrtarë të KFOR-it, si dhe deri më tani janë arrestuar pesë persona të dyshuar të cilët kanë përdorur sulme e dhunë ndaj tyre.

Po ashtu një veture zyrtare të PK-së i është vënë zjarri si dhe janë dëmtuar edhe vetura tjera.

Policia e Kosovës vazhdon në menaxhimin e situatës në koordinim me KFOR-in dhe ka filluar hetimet intensive, lidhur me dhunën dhe sulmet e shkaktuara ndaj mediave, pjesëtarëve të KFOR-it dhe Policisë.

The protest is still ongoing, the situation continues to be tense especially in Zveqan, as there and in other municipalities are circulating armed criminal groups/persons, dressed in black and masked clothes.

Seeing the circumstances and the tense situation created by the criminal groups in the north of the country, the Kosovo Police invites the citizens to remain calm and not to fall prey to provocations of any nature.