The Balkan region remains a hot bed for ethnic tensions. The recent unrest in Kosovo again raised concerns for European countries for the stability in Europe.

Comment:
Tensions escalated when the Kosovan government passed laws in 2022 requiring the Serbian population in northern Kosovo to carry Kosovan identity documents and car plates. This led to mass resignations of Serb-origin mayors and police officers and widespread protests in the north. The Serbs refused to participate in local elections, which resulted in Muslim candidates winning which fueled the unrest even more.

Russia has shown strong support for the Serbs and condemned Kosovo’s actions, warning of a potential “huge explosion” in the Balkans. The Russian government has expressed concern and hinted at the possibility of military intervention.

Western countries, including the United States, have called for immediate measures to de-escalate tensions and have urged the leaders of Serbia and Kosovo to reduce tension. Efforts have been made to calm the situation, with Kosovo’s Prime Minister showing willingness to engage in dialogue and discussions taking place between the leaders of Kosovo and Serbia.

Russia’s involvement in stirring up tensions in Kosovo is to create internal problems in Europe due to their stance in the Russian-Ukraine conflict. Western countries are working to contain the situation and prevent further escalation, as they recognize the potential for the conflict to disrupt the region and divert resources from addressing the Ukraine crisis.

Overall, the West is making efforts to calm the situation and prevent the tensions in Kosovo from escalating into a larger conflict, while Russia aims to exploit the situation to its advantage.

Kosovo’s stability is crucial, and it is imperative for the EU and the US to closely monitor the situation. That’s why, the NATO in coordination with the EU, has sent a Turkish commando battalion as part of a “peacekeeping mission” to Kosovo.

The irony is that the EU has made positive steps towards Serbia in regard to its EU-membership while the disgraceful Turkish request for EU-membership has been put for an indefinite period in the freezer.

It is painful to see that the Turkish army is installed in Kosovo by the EU and NATO, while Kosovo was until 1918 a part of the Ottoman Caliphate. It was the very same Western states who had previously instigated ethnic tensions and separatist movements against the Khilafah. Yet, today, the grandsons of the Ottomans are deploying to “keep the peace” between these ethnic tensions and aid Western neo-colonialist ambitions and agenda.

The concept and purpose of the army in Islam is protect the Deen, blood and honour of the Muslims and to bring the non-Muslims in to the Light of Islam. Islam has come to rescue the people from the shackles of tyranny and oppression of the man-made systems in to the justice of Islam. It did not come to serve the oppressive and deceitful man-made systems or to be used by them.

Okay Pala
Media Representative of Hizb ut Tahrir in The Netherlands