KFOR said on Monday it is monitoring the situation after Serbian media reported that a group of masked ethnic Albanians fired on Serbian troops near the “Debela Glava” military post in the Ground Safety Zone along the administrative boundary with Kosovo.
“KFOR is closely monitoring the situation. Our mission has no law-enforcement mandate and had no role in any arrests,” the NATO-led force told Danas in a written response.
Serbian media, including state broadcaster RTS, reported late Sunday that six jeeps carrying masked Albanians allegedly approached the Serbian Army post and fired around 15 shots, wounding a dog near a patrol. The group reportedly fled toward Kosovo.
KFOR, whose troops have patrolled the Ground Safety Zone jointly with Serbian forces since 2005, declined to confirm the incident and referred further questions to Kosovo’s authorities.
“Kosovo Police and institutions have launched an investigation. It is important that the process is completed and that no actions or statements increase tensions unnecessarily,” KFOR said, adding that it continues to implement its long-standing UN mandate in coordination with Kosovo Police and the EU rule-of-law mission EULEX.
No Official Confirmation
Neither Serbia’s Ministry of Defence nor the Serbian Army has issued a statement on the reported shooting. Danas said it requested comment from Defence Minister Bratislav Gašić but received no response.
Kosovo Police denied that any such attack occurred, calling the media reports “disinformation”.
“Based on all operational data and field reports, no incident of this nature has been registered,” the force said. It confirmed that four hunters from Serbia had been arrested for allegedly crossing the administrative line illegally and possessing unauthorized weapons.
Local media in Gračanica reported that none of the responsible institutions have confirmed the incident, and that all available information remains based on unverified media accounts. Some unofficial sources suggested hunters may have been involved, but offered no evidence.
Political Reactions
Serbian MP Milovan Drecun, head of parliament’s defence and internal affairs committee, said he would not comment before the Ministry of Defence confirms whether the incident occurred.
Petar Bošković, an opposition MP and retired Serbian Army officer, said it was “illogical” that the Defence Ministry and Army General Staff had remained silent.
“If six jeeps appeared beneath an army patrol, it is unclear why there is no official reaction,” he told Danas, suggesting the silence could reflect “avoidance of responsibility”. He questioned the army’s reaction procedures and the functioning of the chain of command, saying delays could contribute to confusion and speculation.
Bošković also criticised Serbia’s Military Security Agency (VBA), claiming it was failing to perform core duties.
Ground Safety Zone Background
The Ground Safety Zone was established under the 1999 Kumanovo Agreement that ended the Kosovo war. It stretches roughly 382 km along the administrative line, from Tutin to Medveđa. Serbian Army and police forces operate on the Serbian side, while KFOR and Kosovo Police are responsible on the Kosovo side.
The area saw armed clashes between 1999 and 2001 involving the so-called Liberation Army of Preševo, Bujanovac and Medveđa. In recent years, incidents have mostly involved illegal logging rather than armed exchanges.