Macedonia concerned about armed groups from Kosovo

Several organised groups with ties to Kosovo are said to be active in Macedonia, although their goals are more criminal than political.

While a solution to the Kosovo status issue proves elusive, the potential for destabilisation is becoming more concrete. According to KFOR, armed groups from the province are infiltrating Macedonia, taking advantage of weak control by local authorities. However, many say their goals are more criminal than political in nature.

The groups are a blend of nationalist sentiment and mafia-like behaviour. Their main strongholds in Macedonia are said to be in Skopje, Kumanovo, Aracinovo, Lipkovo and Vaksince. Analysts usually divide them into four distinct "families".

The first, nicknamed "Cobra", is led by Avdil "Chakala" Jakupi and includes about 50 people. It operates between Aracinovo and Vaksince, and poses a danger to EUROFOR troops because of its ability to deploy mines and other heavy weaponry against armoured vehicles and helicopters.

The second and the third groups are located in the Gorna Gora region and in Vaksince. They are led by Bekim Taipi and Naim Halili, who are wanted by Macedonian police for drug trafficking. The fourth operates around Skopje. It is led by Hamdi Bajramovski, the successor to Nedjmedin Demiri, who was killed this summer.

The groups also operate in southern Serbia, where they have staged organised attacks aimed at encouraging turmoil. Although their main goal is simply to protect their criminal activities, they do not want to see the region stabilised or the rule of law improved. The international community has made clear that after the Kosovo status issue is solved, one of the Kosovo government's main tasks will be to dismantle these criminal structures -- with the help of the West.

The good news is that KFOR, the Macedonian government and Kosovo's institutions have been working closely together to defuse the threat. Kosovo Prime Minister Agim Ceku has stressed that the armed groups are doing nothing to help Kosovo gain independence and indeed may be harming the process. "The appearance of such individuals does not send a good message for Kosovo," Ceku told reporters last week. (SETimes)