Pristina _ Kosovo`s public broadcaster, RTK, aired on Wednesday night dramatic footage and an interview with members of the Albanian National Army, ANA, an armed group branded as terrorists by the UN mission in Kosovo, UNMIK.According to RTK the footage was filmed near the Kosovo – Serbia border in the municipality of Podujevo. A group of masked armed men in black uniforms were shown patrolling one of Kosovo’s most important highways and checking vehicles that were passing by.
”Seeing the serious threat… that Serbia will again do an invasion in Kosovo, we decided to prepare and to open our eyes better”, one of the masked armed men told RTK.
Beatrant Bornneau, spokesperson of NATO troops in Kosovo, KFOR, told RTK that they would react furiously in case they would locate the ANA militia.
“There’s no place for any more violence in Kosovo”, Bornneau said.
Members of the Albanian National Army (Armata Kombetare Shqiptare) known also as AKSH, were seen in the territory periodically after the conflict ended in 1999. They have taken responsibility for several bombing incidents in Kosovo since then.
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Through press statements ANA has also threatened with attacks and all out war in Macedonia demanding unification of Albanians from Macedonia, Kosovo and Albania. This is the first time that any ANA armed and uniformed members were filmed and broadcast in a national TV station in Kosovo.
Kosovo is being administrated by the UN since 1999 when NATO bombs made the Serbian authorities withdraw from the territory. Its political status is due to be resolved in an internationally mediated negotiations process between Kosovo and Serbia politicians.