Serbia puts military on high alert as tensions with Kosovo grow

Dec. 27 (UPI) -- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic put the country's army on "high alert" amid increasing tensions between Serbia and Kosovo on Tuesday.

Vucic called for an increased armed presence on the border in recent days after conflicting reports about a shooting in which no one was injured. Reports from Belgrade said ethnic Serbs came under attack, but Kosovo authorities in Pristina dismissed the accusation.

In another incident on Sunday, the NATO-led peacekeeping Kosovo Force reported gunshots targeted them while patrolling with NATO troops in Northern Kosovo. No one could confirm where the gunshots came from.

On Monday, Kosovo's security council accused Serbia of the hostilities, saying that Belgrade acted "with all available means against the constitutional order of the Republic of Kosovo."

NATO has some 3,700 peacekeeping troops in Kosovo. The alliance said it contacted all parties in an effort to cool tensions. The European Union has a rule-of-law mission in Kosovo. It also warned it will not tolerate attacks on EU police or criminal acts.

In November, the Serbian army went on high alert after saying drones from Kosovo entered Serbian airspace.

Serbia and Kosovo have had long-simmering tensions. Both were part of what was once Soviet Yugoslavia. Serbia does not recognize the independence of Kosovo, which operated as an autonomous province under Serbia during that time. Kosovo has claimed its independence since a 1998-99 war.