No plans to boost Swiss peacekeeping force in Kosovo despite tensions
Soldiers of the Austrian contingent of the NATO-led international peacekeeping Kosovo Force (KFOR) stand guard while a woman walks past in Zvecan, Kosovo, June 1, 2023.
Keystone / Georgi Licovski
Switzerland has no immediate plans to deploy additional Swiss peacekeeping troops on the Swisscoy mission in Kosovo despite rising tensions in the region and news that NATO is beefing up its KFOR peacekeeping force after a deadly shootout.
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Швейцария не будет увеличивать число своих миротворцев в Косово
No increase of the Swiss contingent is planned following recent events, the Swiss Armed Forces International Command (SWISSINT) told the Keystone-ATS news agency on Sunday. The safety of soldiers is of the utmost priority and takes precedence over operational requirements. For the time being, there is no indication that security is not guaranteed.
The members of Swisscoy, a Swiss army unit attached to the NATO-led international peacekeeping force in Kosovo (KFOR), are contributing in various ways to the multinational peace mission. They ensure the maintenance of a safe and stable environment and the freedom of movement of all citizens and KFOR. The soldiers are deployed in various locations. The town of Banjska is outside Switzerland’s area of responsibility, according to SWISSINT.
Last Sunday’s attack by a 30-strong Serbian commando force, heavily armed, against Kosovar police officers in the town of Banjska, in northern Kosovo close to the Serbian border, has reignited tensions in the region. Three Serb attackers and a Kosovar police officer were killed in the clashes.
Switzerland currently deploys 195 troops on the Swisscoy mission in Kosovo as part of the KFOR peacekeeping force. It has been active there since 1999.
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