NATO reinforcements began arriving in Kosovo on Monday, amid Serb protests against the election of Albanian mayors in northern municipalities, where ethnic tensions have also impacted its northeastern neighboring country Serbia.
Turkish soldiers have arrived and are stationed at Camp Sultan Murat, near the capital Pristina, and will remain in Kosovo for as long as necessary, NATO said in a statement.
'Around 500 Turkish service members from Trkiye's 65th mechanized infantry brigade will make up the bulk of the NATO reinforcements. The Turkish Battalion will be initially stationed in Camp Sultan Murat, and will be deployed in Kosovo for as long as necessary,' said the statement.
Tensions have risen in Kosovo following the election of ethnic Albanian mayors in four Serb-dominated municipalities in the country's north last month.
Ethnic Serbs have been protesting the election of ethnic Albanian mayors since late May.
"An additional battalion of NATO reserve forces has also been put on higher alert to be deployed if needed," said NATO.
NATO chief Jens Stoltenberg on Sunday expressed gratitude for Trkiye's support in sending reinforcements to Kosovo during a meeting with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Istanbul.
'Trkiye is an important and highly valued Ally, making key contributions to NATO. This includes troops for our peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, which is even more important now, when tensions are high. I thank Trkiye for sending reinforcements to northern Kosovo, following the recent unrest,' said Stoltenberg at the NATO Foreign Ministers' informal meeting last week in Oslo, Norway.
On May 29, at least 30 soldiers of the NATO-led international peacekeeping mission in Kosovo (KFOR) were injured in clashes with Serbs who were protesting and attempting to prevent the newly-elected mayor of Zvecan municipality from entering town hall to take the oath of office and begin official responsibilities.
According to hospital sources, over 53 civilians were also injured by shock bombs and tear gas.
Police in Kosovo also said that at least five people were detained following the clashes.
The European Union also expressed concern over the Serbian Armed Forces being on their highest alert.
Serbia ordered its army in late May to advance to the border with Kosovo and urged NATO to stop violence against local Serbs in Kosovo.
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic also asked the country's army and security forces to be combat-ready.
Source: Anadolu Agency