Almost 200 troops from the new Allied Response Force (ARF) will be deployed to Kosovo and North Macedonia from September 30 to October 16, for exercises aimed at “their readiness and support for KFOR”.

This is what NATO announced on September 30, saying that this is the first time that ARF forces will be deployed since this force was created in July 2024.

50 troops of the Operational Liaison and Detection Team (OLRT) of the ARF will be deployed in Kosovo, while another 150 will be deployed in North Macedonia.

“Deployed personnel will perform training activities to maintain a high level of readiness and test their skills and procedures for rapid deployment of a large force. A part of the ARF headquarters will be temporarily integrated into the command and control structures of the KFOR mission and will have the task of identifying the requirements of logistical support, infrastructural support and operations for KFOR in case of the need for a reinforcement of the presence of KFOR”, it was said in the announcement, writes REL.

According to NATO, the ARF is a strategic, high-readiness force with multi-domain capabilities. This force can be deployed quickly and can provide defensive assistance in various scenarios.

NATO said the latest deployment, along with deployments made earlier this month in Kosovo of the Strategic Reserve Forces (SRF), send “a clear message of NATO’s strong determination and commitment to maintain peace and stability in the region, but also the alliance’s ability and readiness to respond”.

Finally, British troops have been deployed to Kosovo to participate in training with the troops of the peacekeeping mission of the Western military alliance in Kosovo, KFOR.

Otherwise, KFOR is the third security responder in Kosovo, after the Kosovo Police which is the first and after the EU rule of law mission, EULEX.

The NATO mission in Kosovo is also responsible for the security of Kosovo’s borders with Serbia. Meanwhile, the rest of the border line is supervised by the Kosovo Police.