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Kosovo authorities on Monday accused Serbia’s gendarmerie of crossing the border and abducting a Kosovar citizen, calling the incident a violation of the country’s sovereignty.
Police said they were notified on Nov. 1 of an incident in the northern Leposavic area, near the “zero point” of the Kosovo–Serbia border.
According to witness statements, several masked individuals crossed into Kosovo, assaulted a Kosovar citizen and abducted him, before the victim was taken by ambulance to the Serbian city of Nis.
Kosovo police said an investigation has been launched and coordination is underway with relevant institutions and judicial authorities. They added that cooperation continues with NATO’s KFOR mission, which is responsible for security along the border.
Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008 and has since been recognized by 108 countries, including the United States and Türkiye. Most recently, Syria formally recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state.
Serbia does not recognize Kosovo’s statehood and considers it part of its territory.
The two sides remain locked in an EU-mediated dialogue launched in 2011 aimed at normalizing relations and eventually securing mutual recognition. Tensions between Belgrade and Pristina have flared repeatedly in recent months, particularly in northern Kosovo, which has a majority Serb population.
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