A Turk at the head of KFOR/ Takes over as commander General Ulutash

2023-10-10 13:24:58, Kosova & Bota CNA

A Turk at the head of KFOR/ Takes over as commander General Ulutash

A KFOR soldier in front of the NATO flag

Major General Ozkan Ulutash took over on Tuesday as the commander of the NATO peacekeeping mission in Kosovo, KFOR, at a time when tensions between Kosovo and Serbia are high after last month's attack in the north of the country.

This is the first time that KFOR will be led by a Turkish commander.

Ulutash took over from the current Italian commander, Major General Angelo Michele Ristuccia, during a ceremony in Pristina, becoming the 28th commander of the NATO mission in Kosovo since 1999.

Speaking after taking office, Ulutash said: "As the first Turkish commander of KFOR, I understand the responsibility I have taken. In view of the sensitive situation in Kosovo, I am taking command with the commitment to make every effort and use all the experience to ensure that this outstanding unit will serve successfully in the future as it has done in past".

The Kosovo Police was attacked by an armed group of Serbs in the village of Banjské, in the municipality of Zveçan on September 24, where Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed. In the ensuing fighting in the village monastery, three Serb attackers were killed.

Today, Turkey takes over the leadership of KFOR in Kosovo
October 10, 10:03

Serbia has rejected Kosovo's accusations that it is behind the attack described by the Kosovo authorities as an "attempt to annex the north of Kosovo".

The responsibility for the attack in Banjska was taken by Millan Radoicic, the former chairman of Lista Serbe, the main party of Serbs in Kosovo that has the support of Belgrade. On 3 October, Radoiçiqi was arrested, interrogated and ordered to be held in police custody for up to 48 hours, before being released a day later.

His military career began after he graduated from the Military High School in 1985 and the Military Academy in 1989.

Since 2021, he has served as the director for strategy at the General Staff of the Turkish Army, while previously he was the commander-in-chief of the NATO Rapid Reaction Force in Turkey.

Previously, Ulutash also held other military positions, such as: deputy commander of the sector of the NATO Joint Command in Norfolk, director of the Center for Military Historical Studies in Ankara and deputy commander of the Garrison of the 28th Infantry Brigade of Mechanized./ REL