Protesting Serbs remove border barricades as Kosovo standoff eases

Protesting Serbs have begun dismantling barricades in northern Kosovo, after officials there reopened its main border crossing with Serbia, reducing escalating tensions between the two neighboring countries over recent shootings and blockades.

On Thursday, the state-run RTS television and Kosovo police reported that the roadblock near the main border crossing that connects the two countries has been removed, as Serbia ended a three-day state of alert for its army.

The two countries evidently showed signs of bowing to pressure from the European Union and the United States to retreat from an escalating confrontation in the volatile region, as the situation in northern Kosovo appeared to be spiraling out of control following the closure of its largest border crossing to Serbian territory a day earlier.

"Diplomacy prevailed in de-escalating tensions in north Kosovo. Violence can never be a solution," said EU Foreign Policy chief Josep Borrell in a tweet. "Urgent progress in dialogue" was still needed to resolve outstanding issues between Belgrade and Pristina, he added.

Kosovo shuts main border crossing with Serbia as tensions escalate

Kosovo closed its biggest border crossing with Serbia on Wednesday after Serbs reportedly set up more barricades on their side to support their ethnic kin in Kosovo.

Separately, NATO's peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, also said it welcomed the removal of the barricades. "All parties should avoid any rhetoric or actions that can cause further escalation."

Tensions between the Balkan countries have been on the rise since November when ethnic Serb workers in the Kosovo police as well as the judicial branch walked off the job over a controversial decision to ban Serbs living in Kosovo from using Belgrade-issued license plates.

Serbia, which does not recognize Kosovo’s 2008 declaration of independence, has been threatening to use force against its former province.

On December 10, Serbs in northern Kosovo set up barricades to protest against the arrest of a former policeman suspected of being involved in attacks against ethnic Albanian police officers.

Just hours after the barricades were erected, Kosovo police said they suffered three successive firearm attacks on one of the roads leading to the border.

Serbia puts troops on ‘highest alert’ amid rising tensions with Kosovo

Serbian armed forces are put put on the "highest level of combat readiness" on the border with Kosovo amid increasingly strained relations between the two neighboring countries over recent shootings and blockades.

Virtually 100,000 ethnic Serbs living in Kosovo have been demanding the release of several members of their community held by the predominantly ethnic Albanian government. Belgrade has repeatedly warned it would protect local Serbs “with all means” if they are attacked.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia on February 17, 2008, and has since gained diplomatic recognition as a sovereign state by 101 member states of the United Nations. Belgrade remains reluctant to recognize it.

The US and most EU countries have recognized Kosovo’s independence. Serbia has relied on Russia and China in a bid to maintain its claim on Kosovo.

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