KFOR commander Ozkan Ulutash says NATO will optimise Kosovo force as security stabilises

KFOR Ozkan Ulutash Kosovo security NATO troop optimisation Banjska attack

KFOR commander Major General Ozkan Ulutash said the security situation in Kosovo has improved since the armed attacks on NATO personnel in May 2023 in the north and the Banjska incident in September 2023. He noted that no further incidents of comparable scale have occurred. Following the Banjska attack NATO deployed roughly a thousand additional troops to Kosovo. Ulutash stated that KFOR will keep a visible, flexible presence and continue close monitoring of all developments across the territory. If the stability persists, NATO will gradually reduce the number of KFOR troops, basing any draw‑down on a careful analysis of security indicators, and the process can be reversed should the situation deteriorate. He stressed that lasting security must be achieved through political dialogue, not solely by military means, and warned that inflammatory rhetoric and disinformation pose ongoing risks. Ulutash also said that any creation of a Kosovo gendarmerie must avoid duplicating KFOR’s role and responsibilities.

Entities

Banjska · Banjska attack (September 2023) · KFOR · Kosovo · NATO · Ozkan Ulutash · UN Security Council Resolution 1244 · Özkan Ulutaş

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 4 SOURCES] KFOR will continue to monitor security developments across the whole territory of Kosovo. gazeta.mk · 24-ore.com · www.epokaere.com · telegrafi.com
[● 2 SOURCES] Long‑term security in Kosovo must be achieved through political dialogue, not solely by military means. kohajone.com · telegrafi.com
[● 4 SOURCES] KFOR will gradually reduce its troop numbers in Kosovo if the security situation remains stable. zhurnal.mk · koha.mk · www.albinfo.ch · kohajone.com
[● 3 SOURCES] Any reduction of KFOR forces can be reversed if security conditions deteriorate. zhurnal.mk · koha.mk · www.albinfo.ch
[● 2 SOURCES] Inflammatory rhetoric and ongoing disinformation are identified as security concerns in Kosovo. telegrafi.com · kohajone.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The creation of a Kosovo gendarmerie should avoid duplicating KFOR’s roles and responsibilities. tv21.tv · lajmi.net
[● 5 SOURCES] The security situation in Kosovo is calm with no incidents of comparable scale since the Banjska attack in September 2023. gazeta.mk · zhurnal.mk · 24-ore.com · www.epokaere.com · koha.mk
[● 4 SOURCES] NATO deployed approximately one thousand additional troops to Kosovo after the Banjska attack. gazeta.mk · zhurnal.mk · 24-ore.com · koha.mk