France has warned against the spread of disinformation and manipulation following a search-and-rescue operation by the Kosovo Security Force (FSK) in northern Kosovo, saying such practices are becoming systematic.
French Ambassador to Kosovo Olivier Guerot issued the warning after the FSK was involved in a mission at Lake Ujman, where a 33-year-old member of the diaspora is believed to have jumped from a bridge two days earlier.
“France fully supports KFOR and its Commander. Since its creation, KFOR has played — and continues to play — an irreplaceable role in ensuring the safety of all. It deserves the respect and gratitude of all actors in the region,” Guerot said in a statement.
“France will continue to offer the mission all necessary support in a context where disinformation and manipulation of information are becoming systematic,” he added, referring to a photograph circulated by the ruling Vetevendosje (VV) party showing FSK vehicles heading to the north without visible KFOR presence.
The image prompted speculation that the operation had occurred independently of NATO coordination — a claim French officials implied was misleading.
VV spokesperson Arlind Manxhuka rejected suggestions that the image had been manipulated.
“In the photographs and links below, it’s clear there was no manipulation. The images are real and easily verifiable. In the era of fake news, it’s essential that reactions be based on facts and truth — not on fabricated reports,” Manxhuka wrote on social media.
“The claim that VV manipulated the photo is itself fake news, which appears to have misled even you,” he added.
Tensions remain high in northern Kosovo, a Serb-majority region where security operations often attract political scrutiny.