12 AUG 2016 Skopje. Yesterday, KFOR personnel began flood disaster relief operations, in Skopje, following a request for support from local authorities. Personnel and engineer assets, drawn from KFOR’s Swiss and Austrian contingents, arrived on 11 August evening, in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, with heavy lift equipment, loaders, excavators and dumper trucks, in order to support disaster relief operations, led by national authorities. Indeed, this is not the first time that KFOR has responded to a crisis such as this, caused by a natural disaster. KFOR, in 2000, under the direction of Joint Force Command – Naples, provided assets to assist Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia when a series of forest fires broke out.

 

In total, eighteen personnel and thirteen vehicles belonging to the NATO-led KFOR mission were deployed from Kosovo to the stricken area of Stajkovci, near Skopje.

 

Such assistance, to civil authorities in a natural disaster scenario, is fully compliant and complimentary with KFOR stated mission to enhance peace, stability and security within the Balkan region.

 

*Turkey recognizes the Republic of Macedonia with its constitutional name.