What happened on May 16 at Camp Vrelo, near Pristina airport, is not reality, but one of the many situations that could occur in an unstable area in which, by now, the "first responder" is the Kosovar police.
After the Kfor forces have left the responsibility in the management of dangerous situations, on most of the territory, to the local police, this is the first to have to intervene in case of disorders.
In support, if the forces are not enough, the Eulex mission is called to do its part. Finally, to help the first two subjects who have to deal with security management, in case of growing and unmanageable violence, it is KFOR that gives "reinforcements".
To ensure the right level of preparation and coordination between the three components that can act together, the “Silver Saber” exercise for the control of the crowd was held, as happens every six months within the Kfor mission. disorders (crowd and riot control - CRC).
The simulation was conducted by units of the maneuver battalion of the Kfor tactical reserve, the MSU (multinational specialized unit), the Multinational battle groups East and West, Eulex and the Kosovar Police, together with EOD (explosive ordinance disposal) assets.
The clashes were managed during the "Silver Saber" operation, as happens in reality, also with the help of the UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) structures capable of controlling the territory in situations of risk.
For the first time the simulation took place in Camp Vrelo, a Kosovar police base. A sign, along with many others, of how the Kfor forces have been able to make local security managers more and more independent, leaving to their competence the control of many sites once presided over by international forces.
The knowledge and skills acquired through "Silver saber", operation from 14 to 16 in May with theoretical lessons that anticipated the practical part, could prove useful also in view of the upcoming parliamentary elections of 8 June.
However, the KFOR registers a climate of stability that will hopefully be preserved even during the next electoral competition.
The progress made by the Kosovar police in security control, thanks to training by Kosovo Force, was praised by General Farina, commander of Kfor, who intervened on the sidelines of the operation to explain the state of the mission.
Daniela Lombardi
