More than 400 people from Kosovo joined terrorist organizations in Syria and Iraq in 2017, the US State Department said in its Country Reports on Terrorism 2017, adding that 74 of them died there and more than 130 returned home.

The authors of the report said that Kosovo continued fighting the growing threat of terrorism, with the government implementing a new counter-terrorism strategy and an updated action plan to combat violent extremism.  

“The Kosovo Police Counterterrorism Directorate continued to enhance its investigative capacities by increasing personnel and developing a cyber-counterterrorism unit,” the report said, adding that KFOR and the EULEX mission continued their cooperation with the police to maintain a safe and secure environment and strengthen the rule of law, including border control.

Law enforcement authorities demonstrated an adequate capacity to detect and prevent individuals from joining the conflicts in Syria and Iraq, police Counterterrorism Directorate increased its capacities to track suspects but still lacked resources for online investigations and surveillance and the Border Police successfully prevented several individuals attempting to join foreign conflicts, the report said but warned that some border security gaps are still in place.

“The security and political situation in northern Kosovo continued to limit the government’s ability to exercise its authority in that region, although the government successfully integrated Serbian judges, prosecutors, and staff into Kosovo’s judicial institutions,” it added.  

The report warned that Kosovo’s prosecutors lack the experience to successfully prosecute terrorism cases even though an adequate legislative framework is in place but that several suspected terrorists are standing trial.

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