The Banjska attack (Albanian: Sulmi në Banjskë; Serbian: Напад у Бањској, romanized: Napad u Banjskoj) was an armed assault carried out by Serb militants against the Kosovo Police on 24 September 2023, in the village of Banjska in Northern Kosovo.
Between 23 and 24 September 2023, Serb militants initiated an attack on Kosovo police as they responded to a situation where trucks lacking license plates were blocking a bridge in Banjska. This incident resulted in the death of Kosovar sergeant Afrim Bunjaku, who was posthumously honoured with the Hero of Kosovo order. Subsequently, the attackers sought refuge within Banjska Monastery, which was eventually retaken by the Kosovo Police. During this operation, three of the militants were killed, and a significant cache of weaponry was confiscated. A total of eight people were subsequently apprehended, four of whom were later released. Notably, Serb List Vice-president Milan Radoičić was implicated and later admitted responsibility for the attack, leading to his subsequent arrest. He was released after one day of detention and is now a free man in Serbia, but he cannot leave the country.
In the aftermath of the attack, Kosovo, Albania, and the European Union, along with several other nations, issued condemnations. Kosovo, the European Union and European Parliament classified the incident as a terrorist attack. Kosovo's Assembly denounced the incident and called for an international inquiry into alleged Serbian state involvement, urging appropriate measures by Western nations. Furthermore, the buildup of Serbian military forces along the Kosovo border prompted regional widespread concern, with calls for de-escalation and the bolstering of NATO deployments. Kosovo alleged Serbian state involvement, presenting evidence of training on Serbian territory. Concurrently, the Kosovo Intelligence Agency confirmed reports of a Serbian base construction near the border.
Background
The attack in Banjska occurred within a context of increased tensions in the region. After the decision of Prime Minister Albin Kurti to block all Serbian license plates with the letters KM (Kosovska Mitrovica) within the Republic of Kosovo, citing constitutional concerns, Kosovo Serbs working in the public sector, including the mayors of four municipalities in northern Kosovo, resigned in protest. After the boycott of the mayors and administrative staff, new elections were scheduled. In November 2022, President Vjosa Osmani set 18 December as the date for new elections in the four municipalities in northern Kosovo. However, after new clashes erupted in northern Kosovo, Osmani decided to postpone the mayoral elections until April 2023. This decision received support from European Union (EU) ambassadors.
In the days leading up to the rescheduled elections, the main political party in Serb-dominated northern Kosovo, the Serb List, called on the Serb community not to vote, resulting in a boycott of local elections by Serbs in the area who demanded more autonomy. Despite the boycott, a few Kosovo Serbs and the local minority of Albanians in northern Kosovo participated in the elections. Due to the boycott, all four newly elected mayors in the northern municipalities came from Albanian parties. Following the elections, members of the Kosovo Serb community staged protests in front of municipal buildings in northern Kosovo, expressing their discontent with the newly elected mayors. These protests were closely monitored by the Kosovo Police, the European Union Rule of Law Mission in Kosovo (EULEX), and NATO peacekeeping forces. Confrontations transpired between KFOR troops and Kosovo Serb protesters, resulting in injuries sustained by both military personnel and demonstrators.
Attack
Between 23 and 24 September 2023, two trucks without licence plates were placed on a bridge at the entrance to the village of Banjska, blocking the road. The blockade was reported to the police in the early morning hours of 24 September. At around 2:30 (CET) three police units arrived at the scene, whereupon they were attacked from different directions by an armed group of about 30 men, with a variety of weapons, including grenades. In a preliminary report on the incident in October, the Kosovo government stated that more than 80 militants were involved. In the initial shootout, the Kosovar police forces managed to repel the initial attack. Three Kosovar policemen were wounded and transported to the regional hospital in south Mitrovica, but one of them died upon arrival.
After the ambush, the group of armed men entered the 14th century Banjska Monastery and barricaded themselves inside before being encircled by Kosovar security forces. The Eparchy of Raška and Prizren of the Serbian Orthodox Church, which governs the monastery, said that the men, who were wearing masks, broke through the locked gate of the monastery and storming the complex in an armoured vehicle. A group of pilgrims from Novi Sad, Vojvodina were at the monastery at the time of the attack. At 17:27 (CET), Kosovo Special Forces entered and recaptured the monastery, ending the siege. Xhelal Sveçla, Kosovo's Minister of Internal Affairs stated that the village was brought under control after "several consecutive battles" throughout the day. EULEX, the EU mission that acts as the second security responder in Kosovo, was also at the scene.
Weaponry
Kosovar authorities initially apprehended eight people, four of which were subsequently released for lack of evidence. The arrested included two gunmen, along with four other Serbs discovered in possession of communication near the incident site, who were investigated for terrorism.
Subsequently, a substantial cache of weaponry was seized by the Kosovo Police at the Banjska Monastery. Vehicles utilised by the attackers were impounded, revealing an extensive arsenal of firearms, explosives, ammunition and logistical support capable of sustaining a group numbering in the hundreds. The Kosovo Police confiscated more than 1,000 weapons and pieces of equipment valued at more than 5 million euros (more than $5.5m). Kosovo state officials said that the confiscated weapons were produced in Serbia and cannot be found on the open market. During the search of the monastery and associated vehicles, authorities uncovered maps and detailed plans, indicative of a meticulously organized, long-term operation. The items encompassed rocket launchers, a heavily armored vehicle, 24 automobiles, two 4×4 motorcycles, 150 explosives, three drones, 30 AK-47s (Serbian made), six machine guns, 29 mortars, and over 100 military uniforms. On 6 March 2024, Kosovo Police found five M80 Zolja rocket launchers which they suspect were related to the attack.
Attackers
The identity and background of the attackers was not known publicly. They were described as "gunmen" and "Serbian militants". Prosecutor Naim Abazi confirmed that the arrested militants were Serbian citizens. Minister Sveçla said that six gunmen had escaped to Serbia and were receiving treatment for their injuries at a hospital in Novi Pazar. He demanded their extradition to Kosovo. He also claimed that Serbia was operating training camps for "insurgents" and said Kosovar authorities were also investigating Russian involvement in the attack.
On 26 September, Kosovo Police unveiled drone video evidence implicating Serb List Vice-president Milan Radoičić as being part of the militant group. The party retains close affiliations to Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić. Radoičić's weapon permits were left behind. Later in an interview, Vučić acknowledged that Radoičić was "a freedom fighter". On 29 September, Radoičić took responsibility for the attack stating through a lawyer that the attack was organised without the knowledge of Serbian authorities or the Serb List, from which he resigned. The same day, Kosovar authorities raided properties he owned, including an lakeside villa, a penthouse apartment and a restaurant.
On 3 October, Milan Radoičić was arrested by Serbian authorities following a police raid on his residence and other associated premises. Sveçla described the arrest of the latter as a "symbolic move by Serbia to alleviate Western pressure", emphasising that Kosovo will not establish good neighborly relations with Serbia as long as it "sponsors terrorism". The following day however, the Supreme Court in Belgrade denied a motion from the public prosecutor's office to place Radoičić in custody for 30 days and released him.
On 11 September 2024, Kosovar authorities charged Radoičić and 44 others with violating constitutional and legal order, terrorist activity and financing and money laundering related to the attack. Their trial began on 9 October, with only three defendants physically present and the rest in absentia. On 24 April 2026, the three men, Blagoje Spasojević, Vladimir Tolić, and Dušan Maksimović, were found guilty of terrorism and "serious acts against the constitutional order and security of Kosovo". Spasojević and Tolić were sentenced to life while Maksimović received 30 years.
Casualties
On the Kosovar side, police sergeant Afrim Bunjaku was killed by the Serb militants. He was posthumously awarded with the order Hero of Kosovo.
Three Serb militants were killed. One of the attackers that was killed was identified as Bojan Mijailović, a former bodyguard of Serbian Minister for Kosovo Aleksandar Vulin in 2013. On 25 September, the body of another Serb militant was found by Kosovar authorities, initially reported as the fourth attacker. Kosovo officials later clarified that this report was inaccurate and that it was the third attacker. On 26 September, photos were released showing the bodies of two Serb militants inside a police vehicle.
Aftermath
Resolutions
Kosovo and Albania
On 28 September, the Assembly of Kosovo unanimously adopted a resolution, securing 97 votes in favor with no opposing votes or abstentions. The resolution strongly denounced the assault as a "terrorist attack", lamenting the death of sergeant Afrim Bunjaku and emphasising the compelling necessity for a thorough international inquiry into Serbian involvement. Prime Minister Kurti also issued an appeal to Western nations, urging them to enforce punitive measures against Serbia and actively facilitate the extradition of the assailants to Kosovo. In a subsequent development on October 4, the Parliament of Albania announced its plans to convene a session, intending to ratify an extensive 13-point resolution in its forthcoming session. The resolution encompassed the denouncement of the assault, expressed support for security initiatives, commends Kosovo's security institutions, called on Serbia to cease hostile actions and advocated for a transparent investigation and extradition of the perpetrators for prosecution. On 12 October, the parliament unanimously approved the resolution, endorsing Albania's constitutional institutions to actively engage in the ongoing international community-led investigative efforts.
European Union
On 19 October, the European Parliament adopted a resolution on the incident, condemning what it described as a terrorist attack, while also scrutinizing the Serbian government's stance towards Kosovo and its Western allies. The parliamentary action attributed the attack to Serbian paramilitaries and raised concerns about potential Serbian involvement in recent political unrest. It called for measures against the Serbian government, encompassing the possibility of freezing financial support and implementing targeted sanctions in case of confirmed state involvement. It also called Serbia to engage in full cooperation, including the apprehension and extradition of those responsible for the attack, who are presently residing in Serbia, to face justice within Kosovo. The document also delved into the matter of military build-up, the formulation of containment strategies, early local elections, and the need for reconciliation and the integration of Kosovo's Serb community. Aside from promoting peaceful dialogue between Serbia and Kosovo, the resolution also emphasized the removal of punitive measures against Kosovo and outlined a comprehensive roadmap for Kosovo's European Union integration. The resolution garnered support from Kosovo's Prime Minister Kurti and Deputy Prime Minister Besnik Bislimi.
Serbian state involvement
On 1 October, Kurti published multiple videos on the social media platform Twitter, claiming to present proof of the Serbian attackers' training in connection with the attack. He revealed that the group had trained at the Serbian army base of Pasuljanske Livade four days prior to the attacks. Kurti and Kosovo Police Director Gazmend Hoxha also alleged additional exercises occurred at the Kopaonik base owned by Milan Radoičić and implicated full Serbian state support under Serbian President Vučić's leadership. Kurti later disclosed that the "terrorist attack" was part of a broader plan aimed at "annexing the northern territories of Kosovo", with the intention of "establishing a corridor to Serbia" for the supply of weapons and troops.
On a similar note, Minister Sveçla revealed that the attack had strategic objectives including the "annexation of northern Kosovo". Evidence retrieved from confiscated drone footage confirmed the attack's preparation within Serbia. Sveçla implicated high-ranking Serbian officials, including Vučić, Defense Minister Miloš Vučević and commander Milan Mojsilović, in the training of the attackers. Hoxha also asserted that Serbia furnished logistical support and infrastructure to the group.