Around 1 a.m. on September 24, 2023, an armed group blocked the bridge at the entrance to Banjska, in Zvecan, with two trucks and then hid, waiting to attack the police officers who would come to clear the road. Around 2 a.m., officers spotted the trucks, and about twenty minutes later reinforcements arrived, including Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku.

As Bunjaku approached the trucks, a remote-controlled anti-personnel grenade exploded. Officer Çlirim Shaqiri tried to pull him out, first on foot and then by car, but the gunmen hit the vehicle and trapped him inside. Bunjaku was evacuated in another car and died on arrival at the hospital in South Mitrovica. Officer Alban Rashiti was wounded by gunfire, while Çlirim Shaqiri, Mirsad Kryeziu and Sedat Dushi were injured.

The police came under fire from more than 20 positions. At the nearby Rajska Banja hotel, armed men in uniform ordered guests not to leave, keeping them without food or water. The gunmen then smashed through the gate of the 14th-century Banjska Monastery with an armored vehicle, while pilgrims from Novi Sad were inside.

The fighting lasted until about 3 p.m., when most of the group fled through the mountains to Serbia. Kosova special forces retook the monastery at 17:27, in what was the largest police operation since the 1999 war.

Three attackers were killed: Bojan Mijailovic and Igor Milenkovic from Leposavic, and Stefan Nedeljkovic from Zvecan. Police seized more than 1,000 weapons and pieces of equipment worth over €5 million, including rocket launchers, an armored vehicle, 150 explosives, 29 mortars and more than 100 military uniforms.

Three men were arrested: Blagoje Spasojevic and Vladimir Tolic near the monastery, the latter wounded, and Dusan Maksimovic a day later.

On September 26, drone footage showed Serb List vice-president Milan Radoicic among the gunmen. Three days later he claimed responsibility through his lawyer, denying that Serbian authorities were involved, and resigned from the party. Serbia arrested him on October 3 and released him the next day. INTERPOL issued a warrant for him in December 2023.

Kosova released footage it said showed the group training at the Serbian army base of Pasuljanske Livade and at Radoicic’s property on Kopaonik. Serbia declared a day of mourning for the dead attackers, and Vucic blamed Prime Minister Kurti. The EU called the attack terrorism, and NATO reinforced KFOR.

On September 11, 2024, Kosova indicted Radoicic and 44 others. According to the indictment, from 2017 Radoicic raised money for weapons, logistics and salaries. A protected witness said most members were paid €2,000 a month in cash. Prosecutors trace the group’s organizing back to an October 2021 meeting in Raska attended by Serbian state leaders, including Vucic.

The court ruled that the 42 defendants on the run could not be tried in absentia, so only the three detainees went on trial, starting on April 17, 2025.

On April 24, 2026, Spasojevic and Tolic were sentenced to life in prison and Maksimovic to 30 years. Judge Ngadhnjim Arrni said the group had tried, “through a well-organized plan,” to detach the north of Kosova and join it to Serbia. The court found that only the response of the Kosova Police stopped the plan. The defense is still waiting for the Court of Appeals to rule.

On April 17, 2026, police arrested another suspect, Stefan Radulovic, at the Merdare crossing. Prosecutors say he belonged to one of the group’s operational units. He denies the charges.

Radoicic still lives in Belgrade, required to report to police, with no indictment in Serbia. He is under US and UK sanctions. Serbia denies any state involvement. The EU said today that Serbia has still not taken the needed steps, and that Kaja Kallas raised the issue with Vucic in New York.

Today, acting President Albulena Haxhiu, Interior Minister Xhelal Sveçla and Police Director Gazmend Hoxha laid wreaths at Bunjaku’s grave, and the foundation stone of an obelisk was laid in Banjska, where a street now bears his name. The US and UK embassies repeated their call for those responsible, including Radoicic, to face justice