American FBI agents are working in Kosovo to help identify those behind last month’s explosion at the Ibër-Lepenc canal, U.S. Ambassador Jeffrey Hovenier has confirmed.
The attack occurred on 29 November in the northern village of Varragë, within the Serb-majority municipality of Zubin Potok. The blast caused significant damage to the canal, a key infrastructure channel that supplies water from Lake Ujman to northern Kosovo, including Mitrovica, Pristina, and the Kosovo Energy Corporation’s power plants.
In an interview with Klan Kosova television, Hovenier described the investigation as ongoing and said the U.S. was committed to supporting local law enforcement.
“We’ve deployed FBI resources here in Kosovo to work full-time alongside law enforcement to identify the perpetrators,” Hovenier said, while condemning the attack as unacceptable.
Kosovo police reported the use of up to 20 kilograms of explosives in the incident, which caused damages estimated at €400,000. The attack, described as the most severe assault on Kosovo’s critical infrastructure since the 1998-1999 conflict, has heightened tensions between Kosovo and Serbia.
The government in Pristina has accused Serbia of orchestrating the explosion, calling it a terrorist act. However, Belgrade has denied any involvement.
Alexander Kasanof, the U.S. Special Envoy for the Balkans, echoed the condemnation during an interview with Voice of America. “Such acts are horrific and clearly aimed at destabilization. We reject them in the strongest possible terms,” he said.
The European Union has also denounced the attack, emphasizing the need for stability in the region.
