Kosovo indicts 45 suspects over 2023 armed attack News
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Kosovo indicts 45 suspects over 2023 armed attack

The Special Prosecution of Kosovo announced Wednesday that it has indicted 45 individuals for terrorism and other serious crimes related to an attack in the northern village of Banjska in September 2023. The charges follow an extensive investigation into an armed incursion by ethnic Serbs that resulted in the deaths of four people, including a Kosovar police officer.

The indictment accuses the suspects of terrorism crimes against Kosovo’s constitutional order. These include financing terrorism and money laundering. The charges stem from an incident on September 24, 2023, when around 80 armed Serbs crossed into Kosovo from Serbia in armed vehicles. They killed police patrol officer Afrim Bunjaku, and then fortified themselves in a Serbian Orthodox monastery. A fierce shootout ensued, leaving three of the gunmen dead and the rest fleeing back to Serbia. The attackers left behind vehicles loaded with weapons, ammunition, and explosives, highlighting the scale and planning involved in the operation. Moreover, the 2023 attack took place just months after talks between Kosovo and Serbia mediated by the European Union and the United States broke down.

Among those charged is Milan Radoicic, a former Kosovo Serb politician who is believed to have led the armed group. He had admitted his involvement in the attack, along with many other suspects, and is currently residing in Serbia.

The 50,000 ethnic Serbs living in northern Kosovo, who largely view Belgrade as their capital, do not recognize the Kosovar government and frequently clash with Kosovo’s authorities. This incident reflects the ongoing political and legal challenges that arise from Serbia’s refusal to acknowledge Kosovo’s independence. Kosovo officials have also directly blamed Serbia for orchestrating the attack and supporting the armed group. Serbia has denied involvement, with Serbian officials dismissing the indictment as irrelevant.

The charges against Radoicic and the others are unlikely to lead to immediate arrests, as Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s judicial authority and is unlikely to extradite the accused individuals.

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