Pristina: Turkish soldiers serving in NATO's Kosovo Force (KFOR) have provided sniper shooting training to the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) to boost their operational capabilities, according to an official statement issued on Saturday.

According to Anadolu Agency, the KSF stated that the training was part of a collaborative effort with the Turkish Armed Forces, aimed at improving readiness for crisis management operations, civil defense, and emergency response. This initiative underlines the ongoing military cooperation between Turkey and Kosovo, which has been in place since Turkish troops began supporting KFOR missions in 1999.

The KSF, established in 2009, has been transitioning into a fully armed force since 2018, a process expected to be completed over a decade. Turkish support has been instrumental in this transition, with a significant presence of Turkish-made weapons in the KSF's arsenal.

In a further development of bilateral defense relations, Kosovo's government signed an agreement with Turkish defense company MKE in December 2024 to establish a factory for producing ammunition of various calibers. The factory is anticipated to begin operations soon, marking a significant enhancement in Kosovo's defense production capabilities.