Masked gunmen on Macedonia's Kosovo border

Kosovo police, KPS, say they are investigating reports that masked gunmen were seen in the villages near the border with Macedonia. The newspapers in Pristina today carried stories and photographs of armed, masked men, reportedly seen near the village of Debelde. Masked gunmen on Macedonia's Kosovo border The articles also quote local Albanian villagers as saying that they will "if need be, take up arms to defend their farms" – the territory belongs to Macedonia under a 2001 agreement reached between Skopje and Belgrade. KPS spokesman Veton Elshani told local media in Pristina today that an investigation into the reports has started, but that the KPS does not know the identity of the gunmen. "For the moment, we cannot say who these persons are, but if we meet them, they will be arrested. They certainly have no license to carry those weapons," he said. Albanian language daily Express today printed a photograph of the masked and armed men, who are apparently calling themselves, the "Village Liberation Army". "Armed men are everywhere in the village of Tanushe, which is in Macedonia. They are also patrolling the village of Mjake, which is for the time being in Kosovo. The border between these two villages does not exist," the daily said. KFOR also confirmed it had information that unidentified armed persons were in the border zone with Macedonia. "We are patrolling this area," a KFOR spokesman said, "and as soon as we come across this group, we will react, in cooperation with UNMIK and KPS". The technical commissions, set up in Pristina and Skopje, on Friday signed a "protocol on border demarcation", based on the Ahtisaari plan, which in turn envisages solutions in line with the 2001 agreement. But the ethnic Albanian villagers in the area say they will not accept the agreement, which they say gives "2,500 hectares of Kosovo's land to Macedonia".

Masked gunmen on Macedonia's Kosovo border

The articles also quote local Albanian villagers as saying that they will "if need be, take up arms to defend their farms" – the territory belongs to Macedonia under a 2001 agreement reached between Skopje and Belgrade.

KPS spokesman Veton Elshani told local media in Priština today that an investigation into the reports has started, but that the KPS does not know the identity of the gunmen.

"For the moment, we cannot say who these persons are, but if we meet them, they will be arrested. They certainly have no license to carry those weapons," he said.

Albanian language daily Express today printed a photograph of the masked and armed men, who are apparently calling themselves, the "Village Liberation Army".

"Armed men are everywhere in the village of Tanushe, which is in Macedonia. They are also patrolling the village of Mjake, which is for the time being in Kosovo. The border between these two villages does not exist," the daily said.

KFOR also confirmed it had information that unidentified armed persons were in the border zone with Macedonia.

"We are patrolling this area," a KFOR spokesman said, "and as soon as we come across this group, we will react, in cooperation with UNMIK and KPS".

The technical commissions, set up in Priština and Skopje, on Friday signed a "protocol on border demarcation", based on the Ahtisaari plan, which in turn envisages solutions in line with the 2001 agreement.

But the ethnic Albanian villagers in the area say they will not accept the agreement, which they say gives "2,500 hectares of Kosovo's land to Macedonia".