The White House on Friday said it had detected a large build-up of Serbian forces on the Kosovo border and urged Belgrade to withdraw them to avoid destabilising the situation after deadly clashes.
In Brussels meanwhile, Nato said it had authorised additional forces for Kosovo. Britain's Ministry of Defence said it had transferred command of a battalion to the alliance so it could provide support if required.
The killing of a Kosovo police officer and an ensuing gun battle at a monastery in a village close to the Serbian border on Sunday marked one of the gravest escalations in the former breakaway province in years.
“We are monitoring a large Serbian military deployment along the border with Kosovo,” White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters.
“That includes an unprecedented staging of advanced Serbian artillery, tanks, mechanised infantry units. We believe that this is a very destabilising development.”
Mr Kirby added: “We are calling on Serbia to withdraw those forces from the border.”
The purpose of the Serbian build-up was not yet clear but it was a matter of concern, he said.
Kosovo, which declared independence from Serbia in 2008 after a guerrilla uprising and 1999 Nato intervention, accuses Serbia of arming and supporting Serb fighters.
Serbia, which has not recognised its former province's independence, blames Kosovo for precipitating violence by mistreating ethnic Serb residents. Serbia and the main Serb political group in Kosovo have proclaimed public mourning for the Serbs killed in the battle.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken called Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic to urge “immediate de-escalation and a return to dialogue”, Mr Kirby said.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke to Kosovo's Prime Minister.
He sent condolences for the police officer's death and "expressed concern" about the Serbian military buildup.
The White House said the two discussed the EU-facilitated dialogue, which Mr Sullivan underscored "was the only long-term solution to ensuring stability throughout Kosovo".
Nato will be “increasing its presence” of its peacekeeping force known as KFOR, Mr Kirby said, without giving details.
Britain's Ministry of Defence said it had transferred command of the 1st Battalion of the Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment to Nato.
Three Serb gunmen were killed in the hours-long firefight with Kosovo police, after they ambushed a patrol near the village of Banjska and later barricaded themselves in an Orthodox monastery.
A member of a major Kosovo Serb political party has admitted to leading the group of gunmen, his lawyer said on Friday, according to AFP.
Mr Kirby said the attack had a “very high level of sophistication”, involving a high level of manpower, vehicles, equipment and training.
“It's worrisome. It doesn't look like just a bunch of guys who got together to do this,” he said.
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If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
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What are the GCSE grade equivalents?
- Grade 9 = above an A*
- Grade 8 = between grades A* and A
- Grade 7 = grade A
- Grade 6 = just above a grade B
- Grade 5 = between grades B and C
- Grade 4 = grade C
- Grade 3 = between grades D and E
- Grade 2 = between grades E and F
- Grade 1 = between grades F and G
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre, four-cylinder turbo
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch automatic
Power: 169bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh54,500
On sale: now
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THE BIO:
Sabri Razouk, 74
Athlete and fitness trainer
Married, father of six
Favourite exercise: Bench press
Must-eat weekly meal: Steak with beans, carrots, broccoli, crust and corn
Power drink: A glass of yoghurt
Role model: Any good man
Pari
Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment
Director: Prosit Roy
Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani
Three stars
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
