Germany to send reinforcement to Kosovo

KFOR Spokesperson Uwe Nowitzki confirmed on Saturday that additional troops would soon be deployed in Kosovo. “The second battalion of the operational reserve force has been activated and will soon be deployed in Kosovo,” he told Tanjug. Germany to send reinforcement to Kosovo “The new troops are part of wise planning and positioning meant to ensure KFOR has the necessary troops to accomplish its task in Kosovo,” Nowitzki pointed out. “KFOR's task is to maintain a secure environment for all people in Kosovo in an impartial way,” he stated, adding that it had done so for over 10 years and would continue in the same fashion. German weekly Spiegel reported earlier that Germany would send quick intervention troops to Kosovo at NATO’s request. According to the weekly, NATO fears that there could be a new escalation of violence in northern Kosovo ahead of the Serbian elections on May 6 and Berlin has already decided to send reinforcements. Germany will send 550 troops from the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) and Austria will send around 150 troops. German ORF members were pulled out of Kosovo a few weeks ago. They were first deployed to Kosovo in August 2011. According to the announcement, they will become a part of KFOR troops once again on May 1. The contingent consists of a nuclear biological and chemical protection unit and an artillery battalion. The Postdam Operations Command has assessed that “there is a significant danger of conflicts in the entire Kosovo due to currently irreconcilable positions of Serbia and Kosovo regarding holding of the elections and due to already unstable situation in northern Kosovo”. Around 5,800 international troops are currently stationed in Kosovo and 1,300 of them are from Germany. (Tanjug) Austria to send additional troops Austrian Defense Ministry confirmed on Saturday that it would send additional 150 soldiers to Kosovo. “The additional troops will be deployed due to upcoming Serbian elections that should also be held in Kosovo and at KFOR’s request,” Defense Ministry’s Spokesman Robert Rauter told APA news agency. Austrian troops that were a part of the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) were pulled out of Kosovo in the beginning of April. There are around 400 Austrian troops in KFOR. ORF troops are only sent to the Balkans when necessary and they will be an additional reinforcement to the forces that are already in the field in case of tensions or crisis. The reserve battalion should help preserve peace and create a safe environment, which includes combat against drug trafficking, illegal border crossing and arms trafficking. Beta Tanjug

Germany to send reinforcement to Kosovo

“The new troops are part of wise planning and positioning meant to ensure KFOR has the necessary troops to accomplish its task in Kosovo,” Nowitzki pointed out.

“KFOR's task is to maintain a secure environment for all people in Kosovo in an impartial way,” he stated, adding that it had done so for over 10 years and would continue in the same fashion.

German weekly Spiegel reported earlier that Germany would send quick intervention troops to Kosovo at NATO’s request.

According to the weekly, NATO fears that there could be a new escalation of violence in northern Kosovo ahead of the Serbian elections on May 6 and Berlin has already decided to send reinforcements.

Germany will send 550 troops from the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) and Austria will send around 150 troops.

German ORF members were pulled out of Kosovo a few weeks ago. They were first deployed to Kosovo in August 2011.

According to the announcement, they will become a part of KFOR troops once again on May 1. The contingent consists of a nuclear biological and chemical protection unit and an artillery battalion.

The Postdam Operations Command has assessed that “there is a significant danger of conflicts in the entire Kosovo due to currently irreconcilable positions of Serbia and Kosovo regarding holding of the elections and due to already unstable situation in northern Kosovo”.

Around 5,800 international troops are currently stationed in Kosovo and 1,300 of them are from Germany.

Austria to send additional troops

Austrian Defense Ministry confirmed on Saturday that it would send additional 150 soldiers to Kosovo.

“The additional troops will be deployed due to upcoming Serbian elections that should also be held in Kosovo and at KFOR’s request,” Defense Ministry’s Spokesman Robert Rauter told APA news agency.

Austrian troops that were a part of the Operational Reserve Force (ORF) were pulled out of Kosovo in the beginning of April.

There are around 400 Austrian troops in KFOR.

ORF troops are only sent to the Balkans when necessary and they will be an additional reinforcement to the forces that are already in the field in case of tensions or crisis.

The reserve battalion should help preserve peace and create a safe environment, which includes combat against drug trafficking, illegal border crossing and arms trafficking.