"Escalating Tensions: US Raises Alarm over Serbian Troop Build-up on Kosovo Border"
Tensions between Kosovo and Serbia have escalated following the killing of a Kosovar police officer and a shootout at a monastery. The US has warned of an "unprecedented" build-up of Serbian troops near the Kosovo border and called for de-escalation. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Serbia does not recognize it. Disputes over autonomy for Kosovo's Serb minority persist, sometimes resulting in violent resistance. The recent violence follows unrest in May and is seen as a threat to the safety of international personnel, including NATO troops. The US and NATO have called for de-escalation and the withdrawal of Serbian forces from the border.