Kosovo's parliament is expected to pass legislation Friday that would turn an existing 4,000-strong security force into an expanded, lightly armed army. Kosovo declared independence in 2008 from Serbia, which does not recognize the assertion of statehood. "We are not going to beat the war drums, but we will not allow anyone to purge and humiliate the Kosovo Serbs," Vucic said. Serbia lost control of Kosovo after a 1998-99 war and NATO airstrikes that ended Belgrade's bloody crackdown against Kosovo Albanians. The deployment of peacekeepers was seen as a provocation by Kosovo Serbs, but the so-called KFOR mission said it was a routine exercise.

Source: ABC News December 13, 2018 11:34 UTC