• Military Menu                       

• Introduction
• Systems
• Facilities
• Agencies
• Industry
• Operations
• Countries
• Hot Documents
• News
• Reports
• Policy
• Budget
• Congress
• Links

• WMD
• Intelligence
• Homeland Security
• Space

Kosovo Security Force [KSF] - History

In 2008, the North Atlantic Council authorized NATO’s Kosovo Force (KFOR) to supervise the dissolution of the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) and to supervise and support the stand-up of a multi-ethnic, civilian-controlled Kosovo Security Force (KSF). Planning of the stand up of the Kosovo Security Force was initially done through the selection process for all the Kosovo Protection Corps (KPC) members that had applied for the Kosovo Security Force. The process was led by NATO in full coordination with the Ministry for the Kosovo Security Force.

KFOR coordinates with EULEX and the Kosovo Police as third responder to security events as well as with other international institutions to support the development of a stable, democratic, multi-ethnic, and secure Kosovo. U.S. KFOR’s area of responsibility encompasses a number of significant Kosovo Serb enclaves in Kosovo. It has made a concerted effort to build confidence in local communities, supporting local infrastructure improvements such as building a new community center and reaching out to local leaders in person and on Serb radio and TV.

The KPC was deactivated on January 20, 2009, and officially dissolved on June 14, 2009. On 19 January 2009, based on the legal competencies, according to the Law on the Ministry for the KSF and the Law on the Kosovo Security Force, the KSF Minister Mr. Fehmi Mujota mandated the KSF Commander Lieutenant General Sylejman Selimi, to activate the KSF. Kosovo Security Force officially started its work on 21st of January 2009 at 00:01hrs and this date is also considered as the date of KSF establishment. The standing up of the KSF is a historical act and marked a new reality in Kosovo. The KSF began the selection of 1,400 KPC members to join the KSF. KFOR began the process of organizing, training, and equipping the new force, as well as recruiting multi-ethnic personnel to join the KSF. On 02 February 2009 the first contingent of KSF started training at the Kosovo Center for Public Safety, Education and Development, in Vushtrri. The Kosovo Security Force finished its basic training and in September 2009 KFOR and NATO declared it [and its ministry] had reached Initial Operational Capability. Then it began working on the achievement of Full Operational Capabilities during 2012. In the year 2011, KFOR announced that KSF had reached a satisfactory standard. While NATO had yet to decide on full operational capacity, KSF continued to develop and work diligently to build capabilities and professionalism.

On December 9, 2008, the EU rule of law mission, EULEX, reached initial operating capability by deploying more than 1,000 police, judges, prosecutors, and customs officers throughout Kosovo. As EULEX ramped up, UNMIK ended its police role in Kosovo and scaled back its presence drastically, as directed by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. EULEX reached full operational capability in April 2009.

At the KSF Doctrine and Training Command in Prishtina, 44 senior officers were solemnly certificated in the ranks of Lieutenant Colonels and Majors on 27 April 2009. Their training had lasted 5 weeks and was led by KFOR officers. On 24 June 2009 the solemn oath of the first generation of 106 KSF recruits from civil society was made after the basic training. On this occasion they were issued certificates for accomplishment of the basic course. And on 07 July 2009 Minister for the KSF, Mr. Fehmi Mujota, issued to the KSF Generals the certificates of decree from the President of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Fatmir Sejdiu. Certificates were issued to: Major General Rrahman Rama, Deputy Commander of KSF and Commander of Land Forces Command, Major General Kadri Kastrati, Director for Operations, Brigadier General Nazmi Brahimaj, Commander of the Rapid Reaction Brigade, Brigadier General Zymer Halimi, Head of the Operation and Training Department, Brigadier General Imri Ilazi, Commander of the Operational Support Brigade, Brigadier General Enver Cikaqi, Commander of Doctrine and Training Command. At the KSF Center for University Studies, the first generation of the KSF cadets has graduated 07 August 2009. Minister of the KSF, Mr. Fehmi Mujota, KSF Commander, Lieutenant General Sylejman Selimi and other senior KSF officer participated in the graduation ceremony.

At the KSF National Training Center in Ferizaj, Exercise”Agile Lion 1” was conducted 3-5 September 2009. The exercise was planned, organized, supervised and assessed by KFOR experts, with the objective of demonstrating the level of readiness and training of KSF members. The main elements of the exercise were demonstrated in the presence of a significant number of senior state personalities, KFOR Commander and KSF Generals as well as the media. The main elements of the exercise were: search and rescue, demining, firefighting and exercises with hazardous materials. The level of organization and commitment of the KSF members during the exercise was very high. The joint assessment of the exercise was that it was successful.

Exercise “Agile Lion 1” was assessed by NATO as a significant achievement. Partly based on the results of this exercise and the positive assessment, KFOR initiated the process of declaring that the KSF had achieved Initial Operational Capability. NATO declared that KSF has achieved Initial Operational Capability on 15 September 2009, based on the success of exercise “Agile Lion 1”, the professionalism of KSF as well as eight months of training.

The KSF EOD Unit began its first humanitarian de-mining action 12 July 2010, which meant the disposal of unexploded ordnances that presents a hazard to the civilian population. With a symbolic controlled detonation by the Minister for the KSF, the EOD Unit started its performance in the premises around houses of village Milaj. This is an important activity since the company is certified and trained in line with international standards and it is the first time that this unit had taken over the responsibilities for de-mining and EOD (Explosive Ordnance Disposal) activities. The KSF de-mining units started their work at a total of six locations of Kosovo.

The Ministry for the Kosovo Security Force conducted the first recruitment campaign for its Reserve Component on 15 September 2010. 10-11 November 2010. The largest field exercise “Agile Lion 3” took place in November 2010 and 850 members from different institutions were involved. The purpose of this exercise was to prove the reaction abilities of the KSF during crisis and natural disasters as well as to demonstrate coordination abilities of inter-institutional actions at the state level.

At the beginning of October 2010, the basic training for weapons started for all members of the KSF. The training was carried out by KSF instructors who were previously certified by the instructors of HECKLER&KOCH and GLOCK companies. KSF members attending the training at TRADOC in Ferizaj use NATO standard weapons - GLOCK pistols and HECKLER&KOCH weapons.

In order to increase of the readiness, building up of the response/reaction unit at home and abroad, it's been established the model company (Company A) in the RRB, the first battalion in Gjilan, which started training in January 2012 and was completed in April 2012. Training is carried out under the previous program and the same based company specialized teams of the SR and MKAB have deployed in polygon of Krivolak for crisis response/reaction training. While the company's second model in Istok (Company 2 A) in the second battalion, occured in the establishment phase, is therefore in the preparatory phase and the plan began training in January 2013 and completed in April 2013.

In 2009, NATO decided to begin downsizing KFOR, through a conditions-based assessments of an improved security and political situation in Kosovo. KFOR completed the first phase of downsizing in early 2010, bringing troop levels to approximately 10,000. Based on the improving security situation in Kosovo, in March 2011 KFOR completed the second phase of downsizing, bringing troop levels to approximately 6,200, plus a temporarily-deployed operational reserve force.