U.S. KFOR troops stage drill in north

There, they will participate in an exercise under the command of Multinational Brigade North.

The U.S. troops, stationed in Camp Bondsteel near Gnjilane, will be in the north today and tomorrow.

The KFOR command in Pristina has announced that their deployment will confirm operational ability to reinforce and support any combat group in Kosovo.

The command pointed out that the exercise was not a reaction to the current developments in northern Kosovo.

Those developments include an ICO/Kosovo Albanian government strategy to "integrate" this, predominantly Serb area of the province, and bring it under Pristina's control.

Serbs in the north, however, are refusing any kind of connection to the Kosovo institutions. Pristina's intent is to start shutting down local governments supported by Belgrade.

KFOR headquarters stressed that a two-day exercise in the north of Kosovo was not being organized as a reaction or a preparation for any situation which was currently happening or expected in Kosovo.

The drill represents the intention to once again confirm in the field KFOR's ability to rely on more flexible operations with fast and decisive deployment of troops whenever and wherever it is necessary, it was said.

There are about 10,000 NATO soldiers deployed in combat groups in Kosovo since the end of the last month.