Switzerland sends more troops to Kosovo

The international Kosovo Force (KFOR) peace support mission to Kosovo is cutting back. But Switzerland has increased its military presence there. (SRF/swissinfo.ch)

The Swiss Armed Forces have been deployed to Kosovo since October 1999. The Swiss Company (Swisscoy for short) has been deployed there as part of the KFOR support mission for peace.

Swisscoy is made up of voluntary military personnel armed for self-defence. In the beginning, just after the war, they focused on emergency aid and reconstruction, but the current emphasis is on monitoring the development of the country and checking on any possible development of tensions between Albanians and Serbians.

The deployment of Swisscoy dates back to the government’s decision to participate in KFOR in June 1999 on the basis of UN Resolution 1244. In spring 2014, parliament prolonged the presence in Kosovo to 2017 and increased the number of soldiers from 220 to a maximum of 235.