On Thursday, the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) confirmed that several of its members, along with several vehicles, mistakenly entered northern Kosovo, a sensitive area inhabited mainly by Serbs. According to the KSF, the incident occurred at around 10:30 a.m. during a movement from Istog to the barracks in Mitrovica, due to a GPS error in direction.
Deputy Police Director for the northern region, Veton Elshani, explained that the Kosovo Police had noticed the convoy and communicated with them, after which the KSF vehicles withdrew from the north, passing near the bus station in Shkëmbi i Duda, accompanied by police.
Videos of KSF vehicles in North Mitrovica were shared on social media. According to police, they had stopped for 5-10 minutes at a gas station before leaving.
Meanwhile, Serbian authorities described the incident as a violation of NATO guarantees for the absence of the KSF presence in the north without prior permission. The Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia and the Serbian List accused the Kurti Government of provocation, linking this action to the visit of the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen.
Despite explanations from Kosovo authorities that it was an unintentional mistake, the incident has sparked political reactions and increased tensions in a sensitive ethnic area in Kosovo.
