Kosovo security official says military will be defensive

Agim Cheku, a former professional military officer who served in the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) and Croatian armed forces during the wars of the 1990s, told TV Prva that the transition from the Kosovo Security Forces into a military would take 10 years and added that its mission and weapons would be defensive.  

The transition from Kosovo Security Forces to a military formation would be completed under strict NATO monitoring, he said.  

The Kosovo Security Forces have the latest assault rifles that Western militaries use and will have support arms, some artillery and anti-aircraft defences as well as anti-armour weapons and nuclear-biological-chemical defence capabilities.  

“We will have everything that a military has. We will not have offensive capabilities or offensive weapons, tactics or a doctrine. These are purely defensive forces to defend the people of Kosovo,” Cheku said.