NATO to reduce troop presence in Kosovo

NATO will begin reducing the size of its KFOR peacekeeping contingent in Kosovo amid improving stability in the region, according to a statement published on the alliance’s website.

The alliance said it is optimising KFOR’s posture in Kosovo, with troop levels set to be gradually adjusted over the coming year.

“NATO and KFOR are fully committed to safety and security in Kosovo,” said US Air Force General Alexus G. Grynkewich, Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). “It is this commitment that has led to increased stability as the security organisations in Kosovo have become more capable. The current conditions provide an opportunity to optimise KFOR’s size and posture further.”

NATO emphasised that the drawdown could be reversed if necessary and that force levels may be increased again depending on developments on the ground.

KFOR, or the Kosovo Force, is a NATO-led international peacekeeping mission established in June 1999 following NATO's 78-day air campaign against Yugoslav forces.

It entered Kosovo on 12 June 1999 under the authority of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, initially deploying around 50,000 troops from NATO and partner countries to help create a secure environment after the withdrawal of Serbian forces.

KFOR works in coordination with local and EU security actors as the third responder for maintaining safety and freedom of movement across communities.

By Jeyhun Aghazada