NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg expressed strong condemnation for the recent attacks against NATO’s forces in Kosovo, which resulted in injuries to 30 peacekeepers during clashes with ethnic Serb protesters.

Stoltenberg emphasized that such unprovoked attacks are unacceptable and called for their immediate cessation.

He stated that the violence not only undermines Kosovo but also poses a risk to the aspirations of Balkan countries to join NATO.

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Stoltenberg urged both Pristina and Belgrade to take concrete actions to de-escalate the situation, refrain from further irresponsible behavior, and engage in the EU-facilitated dialogue as the path towards lasting peace.

In response to the ongoing tensions, NATO had already announced the deployment of additional forces to northern Kosovo, where the situation remained tense.

The clashes involved the gathering of ethnic Serbs outside a town hall, with attempts to storm the building met with resistance from Kosovo police, and subsequent intervention by NATO-led peacekeepers.

In April, Kosovo’s ethnic Serb minority boycotted local elections in the north, resulting in low voter turnout and allowing ethnic Albanians to assume control of local councils.