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Conflict in Southern Serbia May Escalate, Yugoslav Military Warns
The Yugoslav military warned Monday, December 11, that if the international community can not take steps immediately to settle the crisis in southern Serbia, it may escalate the conflict there and undermine stability in the entire region.
The UN Special Mission and the International Peacekeeping Force (KFOR) in Kosovo province, southwestern Serbia, should be held responsible for the worsening situation there because they have not carried out UN Resolution 1244 and a related military technical agreement, Svetozar Radissic, spokesman for the Yugoslav military, told reporters in Belgrade.
Radissic accused the KFOR of failing to completely disarm and disband the secessionist Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and other terrorist groups in Kosovo in light with the two documents.
He also accused the KFOR for failing to provide safety guarantee for the refugees to return home, to create conditions for humanitarian work and to prevent KLA fighters and terrorists from penetrating into the security zone separating Kosovo and Serbia proper.
There were about 1,200 to 1,500 well-equipped ethnic Albanian militants in the security zone, Radissic said, adding that they are continuing to take provocative actions in an attempt to pull the Yugoslav military into the conflict.
Since November 21, Albanian extremists have launched a series of attacks on Serbian police in the security area, leaving casualties and increase tension in the region.
The Serbian police authorities earlier issued an ultimatum to the ethnic Albanian extremists, demanding an immediate truce in the area.
Meanwhile, Belgrade sent tanks and reinforced its troops and police force near the conflict area.
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