Kosovo’s Minister of Internal Affairs Xhelal Sveçla has stated in an interview with Radio Free Europe that, with the assistance of international partners, the authorities will be pursuing extradition from Serbia to Kosovo for all individuals involved in the planning and execution of a recent terrorist attack in Banjska.

On September 24, armed groups situated in the northern region of Kosovo launched an assault on Kosovo’s Police forces, resulting in the tragic death of officer Afrim Bunjaku.

Five days following the attack, responsibility for organizing it was claimed by Milan Radojičić, the former deputy leader of the Serb List, which is the largest Serbian political party in Kosovo.

During his interview with RFE, Minister Sveçla refuted Radojičić’s assertion that he acted independently, instead suggesting that he had received support from Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vučić.

Sveçla indicated that ongoing investigations have unearthed evidence pointing to the involvement of more than 80 individuals in the Banjska attack.

Furthermore, Sveçla touched on the suspected participation of Russia in these events and the ongoing security challenges faced by Kosovo.

“Vučić and the Serbian Government implicated”

Radio Free Europe: Mr. Minister, Milan Radojičić admitted today [September 29] to having orchestrated the Banjska attack. How do you interpret his confession, and do you believe that he acted alone in planning the assault, as he has asserted?

Xhelal Sveçla: That is categorically untrue. While Milan Radojičić has admitted to his role in the terrorist attack, the evidence overwhelmingly suggests that he did not act in isolation but had continuous support from Aleksandar Vučić, the President of Serbia, the Serbian Government, and the state’s various instrumentalities.

We are well aware of Radojičić’s close association with Aleksandar Vučić, who previously served as Minister of Propaganda during Milošević’s era. Despite now holding the office of Serbia’s President, Vučić continues to exert a significant influence in propagandist matters.

Their current strategy appears to be downplaying pressure on Serbia, with the aim of localizing the blame. The perpetrator is already known: it is Aleksandar Vučić and his extremist regional agenda, not limited to Kosovo alone.

This incident is not an isolated occurrence. We have previously confiscated similar weaponry with matching serial numbers, whether in Zvecan on June 23 or in North Mitrovica on both August 7 and September 5. This implies a meticulously orchestrated and well-organized plan, which only failed due to the determination, readiness to make sacrifices, and professionalism of the Kosovo Police force. However, it is evident that the plan had much broader implications. Vučić’s involvement is clear, as is the involvement of the Serbian Government. It also appears that Russia may have a role in this scenario.

Serbia urged to “withdraw troops from the Kosovo border”

Radio Free Europe: What will be Kosovo’s next course of action following Radojičić’s public address?

Xhelal Sveçla: We are committed to conducting a comprehensive investigation into this recent attack, aiming to identify all the individuals involved in this act of terrorism. Our focus extends to scrutinizing the entire hierarchy of the two organizations we have already designated as terrorist entities – Northern Brigade and Civil Protection. Additionally, we are diligently documenting their direct connections to the Serbian Government.

Simultaneously, we will call upon Serbia – certainly through our diplomatic channels and international partners – to facilitate the extradition of all individuals who were either injured and managed to leave Kosovo or departed without harm. We believe that this is the only path towards achieving genuine normalization within the situation in Kosovo.

We will also insist on the immediate cessation of all Serbian incursions or aggressions, including the withdrawal of their military forces from the vicinity of our border. We remain mindful of potential risks, and we are actively preparing to confront and effectively respond to any challenges. Our experiences, both with Serbia and its president, Aleksandar Vučić, have been fraught with difficulties.

Radio Free Europe: Will you be seeking the extradition of Radojičić and involving the international community in these efforts, considering that Kosovo and Serbia lack an extradition agreement?

Xhelal Sveçla: Absolutely, we will pursue the extradition of not only Radojičić but also all individuals who were implicated in the planning and execution of this terrorist act.

Radio Free Europe: Can you provide any insights into the number of people involved in the ongoing investigations?

The number of attackers, “over 80”

Xhelal Sveçla: Initially, it was believed that there were around 30 to 40 terrorists involved. Now, we can confidently say that the number is higher, which underscores the remarkable success of the Kosovo Police.

Despite being outnumbered and less well-equipped than this terrorist group, the Kosovo Police managed to achieve a successful outcome after the loss of officer Afrim Bunjaku’s life. Following this incident, we continued to engage in a day-long battle, for which we have received praise from all our allies. However, the number is substantial. We can now confirm that it exceeds 80.

Radio Free Europe: Have you had any contact with the Serbian Police or the Intelligence and Security Agency there after the attack in Banjska?

Xhelal Sveçla: No, we have not had any contact. We believe that they are directly involved. One of the deceased was a former member of Aleksandar Vulin’s security detail, who currently serves as the head of Serbia’s Intelligence Agency. Remarkably, Vulin is also on the United States’ and the United Kingdom’s blacklists. This situation is paradoxical since we are dealing with figures who are not only criminals but have also been sanctioned by the democratic world.

Radio Free Europe: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has stated that he will investigate the killing of the Kosovo Police officer, Afrim Bunjaku. What is your comment on this?

Xhelal Sveçla: How can he investigate the killing when he declared three days of mourning for the deaths of terrorists during their attack on a sovereign state? This terrorist group killed a police officer on duty, during a patrol. It was not Afrim Bunjaku… he was not part of the battle. He was killed during a patrol’s initial arrival to investigate the barricade these terrorists had set up… and he is politically mourning these terrorists, declaring days of mourning for them.

They are not arresting the terrorists who have returned to Serbia. Therefore, I do not believe in this cynical approach by the President of Serbia when he says he will investigate the police officer’s death. He is attempting to downplay the pressure that may come or should come from the democratic world.

Radio Free Europe: You mentioned earlier that you are investigating possible Russian involvement. What evidence have you gathered so far?

Xhelal Sveçla: Yes, in one of the vehicles… there are 24 off-road vehicles that were found in this village loaded with ammunition and materials. In one of these vehicles, we found Russian materials, and there are also two four-wheel-drive off-road vehicles, produced in Russia, which were donated to the Serbian army. There is also intelligence information regarding the involvement of individuals directly connected to Russia.

Radio Free Europe: Do you have the identity of any Russians suspected to be involved, or is the investigation ongoing?

Xhelal Sveçla: We are continuously working on identifying all these terrorists. It is a fact that some of them did not communicate with other group members and never removed their masks during the operation. This raises significant suspicions about these individuals. However, I believe that very soon our specialized units of the Kosovo Police, in cooperation with our allies and the Kosovo intelligence agency, will identify them as well.

Radio Free Europe: Do you suspect they are mercenaries, or are investigations ongoing?

Xhelal Sveçla: To be honest, I don’t believe they are mercenaries in the sense of being paid for this. This is a political project involving Serbia and Russia, and they are exploiting their trusted structures. We have evidence that there is a purported Russian humanitarian center in Nish, which is internationally known to be an intelligence center, through which they conduct surveillance across the region. This center also hosts various exercises, whether for intelligence or field operations, and we believe that this center is also involved in this attack.

“Any aggressive act towards Kosovo will be met with a suitable response”

Radio Free Europe: You mentioned the risk of further escalations. What steps are you taking to reduce such threats?

Xhelal Sveçla: Certainly, we have observed signs of increased military activity and various groups near Kosovo’s borders. We are consistently working in close cooperation and coordination with EULEX (the EU mission for the rule of law in Kosovo) and KFOR (the NATO mission in Kosovo), which hold the second and third responsibility for security in Kosovo, respectively.

Furthermore, we are enhancing the capacity of Kosovo’s Police force to ensure that any form of aggression against the Republic of Kosovo, regardless of its scale, will be met with an appropriate and measured response.

Radio Free Europe: How do you view NATO’s decision to bolster the presence of KFOR forces in Kosovo?

Xhelal Sveçla: This development is welcomed. We maintain ongoing communication with NATO’s leadership and representatives. Additionally, we have proposed joint border patrols along the Kosovo-Serbia boundary. As you are well aware, we share an extensive border between these two nations. The terrain is also challenging, necessitating specialized equipment to effectively monitor border movements. I believe this decision is a positive one.

Radio Free Europe: What message would you like to convey to the residents in north Kosovo?

Xhelal Sveçla: The residents in north Kosovo consistently receive positive messages from the Government of the Republic of Kosovo. These citizens are equal members of the Republic of Kosovo and our institutions are dedicated to serving and safeguarding them. This commitment was vividly demonstrated on September 24 when we engaged in a robust battle against terrorists. Importantly, at no point were any of our civilian residents placed in harm’s way or harmed.

Moreover, we have not received any complaints from these residents regarding the conduct of our police officers. It is worth noting that the UNDP conducted a series of reliability assessments measuring citizens’ trust in the Kosovo Police in that region – in fact, multiple assessments were conducted. During the period when we integrated police officers from former parallel structures into the Kosovo Police, which preceded the resignation of 547 police officers…

Trust in the Kosovo Police in that region stood at 15 percent, in contrast to other parts of Kosovo. Now, another UNDP assessment indicates that trust has increased to 33.8 percent.

This significant rise signifies that citizens’ trust in the Kosovo Police in those northern municipalities has more than doubled. I am confident that this trust will continue to grow as our cooperation with residents in that area continuously improves.