Report: Germany to send reinforcement to Kosovo
Source: Beta, Tanjug
BERLIN -- Germany will send quick intervention troops to Kosovo at NATO’s request, German weekly Spiegel writes.
(Tanjug)
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.
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