Kosovo accuses Serbian gendarmerie of abducting citizen inside its territory

By Talha Ozturk

BELGRADE, Serbia (AA) – Authorities in Kosovo on Monday accused Serbia’s gendarmerie of crossing the border and abducting a Kosovar citizen in the north, describing the incident as a breach of the country’s sovereignty.

In a statement, police said they received information on Nov. 1 about the incident, which occurred in the northern region near the town of Leposavic in an area referred to as the “zero point” of the Kosovo-Serbia border.

According to witness statements, several masked individuals entered Kosovo territory, injured the victim, and abducted him before he was transported by ambulance to the Serbian city of Nis.

Police said they have launched an investigation and are coordinating with relevant institutions and judicial authorities, adding that cooperation is ongoing with NATO’s peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, which is responsible for border security.

Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 unilateral declaration of independence.

The two sides, which frequently face tensions, have been engaged in the European Union-mediated Belgrade–Pristina Dialogue since 2011 to normalize relations and ultimately reach mutual recognition.