Czech peacekeeping forces to operate in whole Kosovo

Czech soldiers serving as part of the NATO-led peacekeeping forces in Kosovo (KFOR) will operate across the whole southern Serbian province of Kosovo in November this year, local media reported Friday.

The change comes in reaction to the decrease of the number of KFOR troops, Chief of Staff Pavel Stefka was quoted as saying.

"As the number of soldiers is reduced, task groups are being formed. These are maneuver units which are more flexible and can react very rapidly anywhere," he said.

The Czech Republic has now 400 soldiers serving in the 500-strong joint Czech-Slovak battalion, who have been in charge of guarding part of the administrative border between Kosovo and Serbia.

Stefka stressed that KFOR's main tasks remain unchanged, saying peacekeeping forces will continue keeping peace, preventing attacks on the Serbian minority, guarding borders and fighting organized crimes in the region.

Besides the transfer to the new organization structure, the KFOR will have to face possible disturbances before parliamentary elections in October.

"Under the pot lid, the situation is boiling. There will certainly be demonstrations," said Stefka. "Our soldiers are prepared for whatever may come."

There have been tensions in Kosovo since March when ethnic Albanians there attacked the Serbian minority. Nineteen people were killed and 900 injured in disturbances. Therefore, the Czech forces have set up a mob-control unit to deal with emergency situations.

Source: Xinhua