The security situation in northern Kosovo is described as the worst in over 10 years. Historically, the conflict has been possible to de-escalate through talks, but now there is a tangible risk of escalation.
The reason for the resurgence of the conflict is the recent local elections in Kosovo, which were boycotted by the ethnic Serbs. Kosovo Albanian mayors were elected with only a 3.5% turnout – seen by Kosovo Serbs as a government without legitimacy. The NATO peacekeeping force that has been on the ground in Kosovo since 1999 has been drawn into the violence.