The murder of the policeman in the north, Kosovo today on a day of mourning in honor of Afrim Bunjaku! Kurti: The operation continues

Today, Kosovo is in a day of mourning in honor of the policeman Afrim Bunjaku, who was killed on Sunday, September 24, 2023, during clashes with a criminal group of 30 armed people in the north of Kosovo, in the village of Banjské in Zveçan, inhabited by a majority of Serbs.

The flags of all institutions will be lowered to half-mast, and the appropriate honors will be performed. The President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani, declared today a day of mourning.

“The national mourning will be on Monday, while the State Protocol is charged with taking all the necessary actions for the implementation of this decision”, it is stated in the announcement of the Office of the Presidency of Kosovo.

And today at 16:00 the funeral ceremony will be held. Bunjaku will be laid to rest in the Samadrexë village cemetery,

Yesterday evening, candles were lit and tributes were paid to the 50-year-old policeman.

Meanwhile, in the late hours of yesterday evening, Prime Minister Albin Kurti declared that the operation to capture the members of the armed group that attacked the Kosovo police throughout the whole day yesterday will continue.

3 policemen were injured in the clash with the armed group dressed in uniform. The Minister of the Interior stated that 3 attackers were also killed in the exchange of fire, while 6 people, who were suspected to be in contact with them, were arrested. 2 of them injured.

Kurti added yesterday that the Kosovo Police remains in close cooperation with KFOR and EULEX and that hundreds of weapons and ammunition were seized during the operation.

“In today’s operation against armed terrorists, the Kosovo Police confiscated hundreds of weapons and ammunition, including heavy military equipment, such as machine guns, grenades and others. Our police remains in close cooperation with KFOR and EULEX. The operation is ongoing” Kurti wrote in a post on the platform “X”

What happened on Sunday, September 24?

A member of the Kosovo Police was killed and 3 were injured in clashes with an armed group in the north of the country. Sergeant Bunjaku was killed in the ambush that the armed group had taken at the entrance to the village of Banjské in Zveçan. During the exchange of fire, 2 other policemen were injured. Then the armed group of 30 members was placed in the monastery of Banjska where shots were exchanged with the police for hours throughout the day on Sunday. In the evening, the Minister of the Interior of Kosovo stated that three attackers were killed, while six other people, who were suspected to be related to them, were arrested. A large amount of weaponry was also seized. The Kosovo authorities made Serbia responsible for the attack, while Belgrade officially blamed the Kosovo Serbs.