Conflict Intensifies in Serbia with Fatal Shootout at Monastery
Escalating tensions between Serbia and Kosovo intensify as a fatal shootout at a monastery results in at least five deaths.
Escalating tensions are yet again developing in Serbia. Discerning reality from fiction in this story is particularly difficult. The incentive for the media to push Kosovo’s narrative is extremely high as it will likely serve as a justification for further escalation of the conflict. Before we dive into the geopolitics however, let’s see if we can try to get some idea of what happened in Banjska yesterday morning. Kosovo remains unrecognized by Serbia and can well be expected to stay that way in the future. References to Kosovo ‘police’ forces and ‘officials’ are used only for the sake of elucidation.
Yesterday, on September 24th, Kosovo police were reportedly approaching two trucks blocking a road in the village of Banjska when ‘unknown people’ allegedly opened fire, killing one officer and wounding another. Reinforcements sent to the scene similarly claim that they too came under fire. The ‘unknown’ group was comprised of approximately 30 individuals (most likely Serbs of course but exact identities are yet to be confirmed) who then took refuge in a Serbian monastery. Official reports state these people were all armed men in military uniform while independent reports have made various other claims. Shootouts continued, leading to the confirmed death of four Serbs. The death toll is not considered final. The realities will hopefully become clear as evidence emerges over the next few days.
That said there is much to be gained from considering the context surrounding these events. First and foremost is the ethnic cleansing being carried out against the Serbian people. In a recent meeting between President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić and Ambassador of the Russian Federation, Aleksandar Bocan-Kharchenko, the President told of the brutalities committed against the Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, blaming Prime Minister of the Pristina Provisional Institutions, Albin Kurti, as well as the international community.
***Touching briefly on allegations of Russian involvement and even the alleged presence of Wagner PMC fighters in the monastery, there is absolutely no evidence to support such claims and quite frankly, it’s a cheap move even for the mainstream media.
Accusations against ‘the international community’ are not unfounded, and there are indications that the entire event may have been a false-flag operation. The atrocities committed against Belgrade by NATO forces in the 1990’s were reportedly some of the most brutal conflicts the world has seen in decades. Remarks from the head of NATO's European Development Committee, Gunther Felinger, stating that [NATO] should "Bomb Belgrade right now!" are thus extremely concerning. Perhaps some of the NATO leadership is beginning to lose hope and interest in Ukraine and looking to relocate their war industry to Belgrade, you know, like in the good old days.
Regardless of motivation, peaceful deescalation of the situation appears unlikely as Serbia is reportedly moving armored vehicles to the administrative border, though precedent tells us a full-blown 1990’s-style clash is unlikely as well, so long as external forces don’t do anything stupid, such as bombing Belgrade.
-The Shultz Report by M. Shultz