Russia Warns Kosovo Against Training Syrian Fighters

Kosovo FM: We're Committed to Rebels

Being a Western-backed insurgency engaged in a bloody war of regime change isn’t as easy as it sounds, and hoping to get some pointers on the techniques involved. Top Syrian rebel leaders have been in Kosovo since last month, picking the brains of the former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) forces.

That’s not sitting well at all with Russia though, with Ambassador Vitaly Churkin warning of “disturbing information” that Kosovo has been establishing growing ties with the fighters, and cautioning that it could make Kosovo a “destabilizing factor” across the region.

Kosovo, however, seems determined to be that guy, with Foreign Minister Enver Hoxhaj insisting that his country is committed to the rebels in Syria, just as they were committed to the rebels in Libya.” He denied any plans to establish full-scale training centers for rebels in Kosovo, however.

Of course most of the reports have the training centers being planned for southern Turkey, not Kosovo, and the nation’s role is likely to be primarily advisory, as Western officials continue to talk out of both sides of their mouths on their support of a peace deal and their unconditional backing of rebels as a new regime.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.