KFOR Commander: Security Situation in Kosovo Has Improved

Kosovo Kfor (BETAPHOTO/SASA DJORDJEVIC)

Kosovo Force (KFOR) commander Ozkan Ulutas said on Sept. 11 that the security situation in Kosovo has improved in recent years and is fairly stable at present.

In an interview with the Pristina-based Telegrafi news agency towards the end of his second term as KFOR commander, Ulutas recalled the tensions and violence of 2023, including attacks on KFOR personnel in Zvecan. “The security situation in Kosovo has continued to improve over the past few years. Following the rise in tensions and violence in 2023, including the unjustified attacks on KFOR personnel in Zvecan, the security situation in Kosovo has remained generally stable,” he said.

According to Ulutas, the improved situation prompted the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to suspend the deployment of reserve forces last January. He said the Alliance has begun optimizing its presence over the coming year to ensure that the mission remains adjusted to its purpose and able to respond to security developments.

“The KFOR presence has been continuously adjusted since 1999 to ensure that the mission remains suited to the evolving security environment,” Ulutas said, adding that his priority during his term has been to carry out the KFOR mandate in accordance with U.N. Security Council Resolution 1244.