Ejup Maqedonci, the Defense Minister of Kosovo, disclosed details of a critical meeting of the Serbian Security Council, which was hastily organized by Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. This gathering included key military figures, such as Nenad Zonić, leader of the 63rd Parachute Brigade, and Miroslav Talijan, head of the 72nd Special Operations Brigade. It’s suspected these units played a role in equipping and drilling the members of the “Civil Defense/Northern Brigade” group. This organization is believed to have carried out the deadly assault on September 24 in the Banjska village, Zvečan, resulting in the death of police officer Afrim Bunjaku.
Maqedonci pointed out that Vučić’s call for this meeting came shortly after Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, called out the aggressive behaviors of the Serbian Armed Forces’ specialized units close to the Kosovo border. Additionally, it was convened a mere day following a warning from James O’Brien, the American Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia. O’Brien had explicitly cautioned Serbia against the deployment of its military forces near the Kosovo boundary, underlining that such movements were under scrutiny and emphasizing that any form of aggression would be deemed intolerable.
Maqedonci’s statement also noted that the emergency session called by President Vučić included not just the usual attendees but also Nenad Zonić and Miroslav Talijan among other high-ranking officers like Tioslav Jankovic, Head of the Operations Directorate (J-3); Dusko Zarkovic, leader of the Air Forces; and Milosav Simovic, commander of the Land Forces. This assembly was urgently organized following public criticisms by Kosovo’s Prime Minister regarding the provocative maneuvers of the SAF’s specialized units near the Kosovo frontier, and the firm stance taken by James O’Brien regarding the observance of the Serbian military’s actions and the clear stance against the use of military force.