Serbian Army Chief of the General Staff Milan Mojsilović has rejected accusations by Kosovo authorities that Serbia’s attack on Banjska was aimed at annexing north Kosovo.

In a press conference in Belgrade, Mojsilović stated, “The Serbian Army is a serious and strong organization that does not tolerate falsehoods”.

He emphasized, “I reject all the accusations made by Pristina”.

Kosovo’s Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla claimed on Sunday that Serbia had planned to annex north Kosovo through the Banjska attack.

On September 24, an armed group attacked Kosovo Police in Banjska, resulting in the death of police officer Afrim Bunjaku. In the subsequent exchange of fire, three Serbian attackers were killed.

Sveçla stated that Kosovo has evidence indicating that these armed groups were prepared and trained at a military training base near Jagodina in Serbia and at Kopaonik.

Photographs and videos, which Kosovo Police claim were recorded by drones and seized by the armed group in Banjska, were also published.

Serbia denies involvement in the attack, which Kosovar authorities have labeled a terrorist act. Responsibility for the attack was claimed by Milan Radojičić, who was the vice president of the Serb List, the largest Serbian party in Kosovo.

Mojsilović refuted claims that Radojičić had taken part in training at “Pasuljanske livade”, near Jagodina in central Serbia.

“Milan Radojičić did not participate in training at ‘Pasuljanske livade’, did not fire a single bullet, did not throw a single grenade,” he asserted.

“In some cases, he was invited to training but did not respond. And what Radojičić does on his private property is not a matter for the Serbian Army,” Mojsilović added.

He explained that since 2021, “persons from Kosovo and Metohija” had been invited to regular training for Serbian Armed Forces reservists.

However, he noted that only about 19 percent of reservists from Kosovo responded to the military training calls.

“Training at ‘Pasuljanske livade’ involved various units of reservists from different parts of Serbia, and there were also people from ‘Kosovo and Metohija’,” the Serbian Army general added.

Mojsilović clarified that the training of reserve army forces, which includes all citizens between the ages of 18 and 60, is “planned and organized” and carried out in accordance with the law.

He stated that since 2019, people over 30 who have not served in the military have been invited to training, as Serbia abolished compulsory military service in 2011.

According to Mojsilović, it is the “right and obligation” of citizens to respond to military training calls.

Despite Kosovo’s independence since 2008, Serbia still considers Kosovo as its territory.

Mojsilović dismissed concerns about Serbia’s increased military presence and armament near the Kosovo border as “unnecessary”.

He explained, “I want to inform you that there has been no full combat readiness of the Serbian Armed Forces, only an increased presence and engagement of units”.

After the “security crisis” on September 24, the Serbian Army increased its presence in the “ground safety zone and the perimeter around the administrative line”, where there were “8,350 army members” on September 25.

Today, Mojsilović stated, there are “more than twice as few soldiers” in that area.

Serbian Defense Minister Milosh Vučević, who was also present at the media conference, stated that there is an “ongoing campaign” against the Serbian Armed Forces regarding their “numbers and activities, particularly the movement and deployment of units on Serbian territory”.

He said these accusations are “inappropriate, irresponsible, and entirely untrue”.

The United States called on Serbia to withdraw its troops from the Kosovo border on September 29, describing this move as “highly destabilizing”.

The EU made the same call to Serbia a day later through EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell.

Vučević also emphasized that the cooperation between the Serbian Armed Forces and the NATO mission in Kosovo, KFOR, is “good and continuous” and in line with the Kumanovo Agreement and UN Resolution 1244.

He stated that Serbia has never severed communication with KFOR and has never entered Kosovo with its army.

“If the Serbian Army receives such an order from the President as the Commander-in-Chief – that its units enter the territory of Kosovo as part of Serbia – the army will carry out that task efficiently, professionally, and successfully. Even then, the units and commands of KFOR would be notified in advance,” Vučević said.

Vučević concluded that Serbia believes it is important for KFOR to have a significant role in Kosovo, especially in areas where Serbs live, and that Serbia supports the deployment of additional KFOR units in Kosovo.