Saturday, March 24, 2001

By Ron Jensen
Kosovo bureau

Ron Jensen / Stars and Stripes Task Force Falcon displays some of the contraband it has confiscated along the border between Kosovo and Macedonia in recent days.

CAMP BONDSTEEL, Kosovo — A senior commander of the U.S. contingent in Kosovo said he doesn’t need additional U.S. troops to stem the flow of weapons into Macedonia, but he would like to see better cooperation for his efforts from the Kosovo people.

U.S. Army Col. Gene Kamena, deputy commander for maneuver for Task Force Falcon, said his patrols on the ground and in the air are effective in taking weapons out of the hands of ethnic Albanians in Macedonia.

"We have the people we need to accomplish the mission right now," said Kamena on Friday morning in response to reports that the United States will not send additional troops to the NATO-led Kosovo Force.

What would help, he said, is more cooperation from local people along the border.

"I want support of the [ethnic Albanian rebels] to stop," Kamena said. "We’re out there trying to interdict them. But it’s clear they’re receiving support."

He described the support as far from widespread, but "at the minimum, looking the other way."

"We are frustrated, disappointed and starting to lose our patience with the violence in this region," he said.

While violence inside Kosovo has diminished greatly in recent weeks, he said, violence south of the border in Macedonia has escalated.

Most recently, ethnic Albanian rebels above Tetovo in western Macedonia have been battling the government for more than a week.

About one month ago, violence kicked up in Tanusevci, just across the border from the American sector of Kosovo. Sporadic fighting is still heard from that part of Macedonia. U.S. troops hear the explosions and see the flashes from their side of the border, but they do not see the movement of troops.

The response by KFOR troops has been limited mostly to additional patrols on the border to interrupt the flow of weapons to fighters in Macedonia.

Kamena said there is evidence that mission is being effective.

Troops in the U.S. sector have confiscated a pile of weapons and ammunition in the last 30 days, including mortars, machine guns, rifles, hand grenades and anti-tank and anti-personnel landmines.

"These items were once the possessions of men bent on violence, men who have their own agenda," Kamena said, "men who do not share the vision of a peaceful, prosperous Kosovo."

In a major haul this week, soldiers from A Battery, 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment confiscated four machine guns, 240 hand grenades, 9,000 rounds of ammunition and more when they surprised about 30 men leading several horses and mules.

The unit had reports that people might be moving weapons through the area, said Capt. Chris Lambesiss.

"We narrowed down a couple areas where we thought they might be passing through," he said.

Sgt. 1st Class Mark Kaiser said he and several soldiers stationed themselves Tuesday night near a trail that winds into Macedonia. It was not yet midnight when they spotted the men and animals "coming straight down the trail at us," he said.

"We attempted to stop them and they scattered in all different directions," he said. "Since it was a large number of men, I wasn’t going to go chasing after them."

One man was caught still carrying a weapon. Others dropped their weapons as they ran, avoiding the charge of illegal weapon possession if they were caught.

Kamena said such incidents disrupt the flow of weapons, causing those carrying them to alter their routes and always worry about the presence of KFOR troops.

"My impression is, they have taken a step back. We have thrown them off their game," he said.

The movement of weapons is not totally stopped, Kamena said. That is probably impossible.

But, he said, the constant patrols in the air and on the ground are having an effect.

"I want to make their lives miserable," he said.

RELATED STORY:
          KFOR patrol leaves no stone unturned in "busy little area" of Kosovo

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