Kosova Police Chief: Serbian Military Intelligence involved in the Ibër-Lepenc attack

The attack targeted one of Kosova’s most critical infrastructure systems

The Director General of the Kosova Police, Gazmend Hoxha, stated that members of Serbia’s Military Intelligence Service (VBA) were involved in the explosion that occurred on November 29, 2024, at the Ibër-Lepenc canal, in the village of Varagë at the Municipality of Zubin Potok.

The attack targeted one of Kosova’s most critical infrastructure systems. The Ibër-Lepenc canal supplies drinking water to several municipalities and provides essential cooling water for Kosova’s main thermal power plants, making it vital for both public services and energy production.

Annual security assessments have described the explosion as one of the most serious acts of sabotage against critical infrastructure in recent years, temporarily disrupting water supply and raising concerns about wider risks to public safety and energy stability.

According to Hoxha, one of the three arrested individuals was found in possession of documents proving his affiliation with VBA.

“One of the persons arrested in this case was found with a document confirming that he was a member of Serbia’s Military Intelligence,” Hoxha said.

He added that the investigation has produced substantial material evidence, examined by both local and international experts, indicating that the suspects acted under direct instructions from Serbian intelligence structures.

Kosova authorities have classified the incident as an act of terrorism, while recent annual security reports place it within a broader pattern of hybrid threats aimed at destabilizing Kosova, particularly in the north.

As part of the investigation, several devices and items seized from the suspects’ residences were examined by the Kosova Police and subsequently sent for forensic analysis to an FBI laboratory in the United States.

According to Hoxha, the FBI’s findings were key in corroborating the investigative conclusions. Laboratory analyses confirmed that traces of mud and material found on the seized equipment matched samples from the Ibër-Lepenc canal at the site of the explosion, directly linking the suspects to the scene of the attack.

“The FBI analyses confirmed that the mud found on these devices corresponds to the location where the explosion occurred, establishing a direct connection between the suspects and the crime,” Hoxha concludes.

The attack was condemned by international partners, including the European Union and the U.S., who called for a full investigation and accountability for those responsible. /RTK/