 |
| Alicia Kearns in an interview |
British MP Alicia Kearns, who is currently in Kosovo, has spoken about the terrorist attack in Banjska, Zvecan.
In an interview with Kallxo.com, Ms. Kearns stated that a foreign state is conducting an investigation into the attack, Kosovo media reports.
"As I understand, one of the foreign states is conducting its own investigation, and this will become public, and of course the Government of Kosovo is also conducting its investigation. The Government of Kosovo will seek justice, will put people on trial, and those who have survived the attack, those who have been killed, and those who have been witnesses deserve a day in court where Milan (Radoicic) should be there to answer," she said.
However, she did not provide further details about the investigation.
"I am not sure if this is publicly known, so I will refrain from further comments on this," she stated.
Ms. Kearns recalled that she had warned several times about the risk of an escalation in Kosovo and added that during her visit to Kosovo, she wanted to see the weapons confiscated in the northern part of the country.
"I am very concerned, I know there is an investigation into what happened on September 24, but I wanted to see with my own eyes what kind of weapons were found, especially after I had warned well in advance that this would happen. Also, I wanted to meet the family of the murdered police officer. I was welcomed in their home, and I had the privilege to express my condolences for their father who was killed," the British MP said.
She said that the confiscated weapons in the northern part of Kosovo after the attack in Banjska are recent military weapons produced in Serbia.
"These are heavy military weapons with Serbian inscriptions. These are not weapons from the time of Milosevic, they are not old weapons. Some are, but the grenades are from 2021. Moreover, this is not a small amount of weapons that an organized crime group can secure. These are military-grade weapons, very serious, which are not for low-level crime. I was quite upset by what I saw," she said.
On September 24, 2023, a terrorist attack was carried out by a Serbian paramilitary formation in Banjska, Zvecan. During this attack, Afrim Bunjaku, a member of the Kosovo Police, was killed, another police officer was wounded, and another was injured.
During the exchange of fire with the Kosovo Police, which acted in self-defense, three members of the armed Serbian group were killed. The rest, after barricading themselves for several hours in the Banjska Monastery, left for Serbia via mountain roads.
After the attack, the Kosovo Police found and confiscated large quantities of weaponry and military equipment in the monastery buildings and the surrounding area. Among other things, the police also seized two armored vehicles, 24 other various vehicles, a large arsenal of various caliber weapons and ammunition, rocket launchers, grenades, anti-personnel mines, and other explosive devices, as well as other military equipment and logistical supplies.
The responsibility for the attack in Banjska was assumed by Milan Radoicic, the former deputy chairman of the Serbian List, the largest Serbian party in Kosovo, which is supported and controlled by official Belgrade. Radoicic took responsibility after the Kosovo Police published indisputable evidence that he was among the members of the terrorist group in Banjska, and that the preparations for the attack were made on his property in Kopaonik.