Kosovo: A Busy May for the Hungarians

Protests and various demonstrations are still frequently staged in the mainly Serb-populated northern region of Kosovo, so the maneuver company of the KFOR-4 HUNCON mounted several patrols in that area in May, Lt-Col. Sándor Szabó told us. The commander of the KFOR-4 HUNCON added that a platoon of Hungarian peacekeepers was placed on alert as a quick reaction force (QRF) in Camp Bondsteel, so that they could assist with an arrest. However, they were not deployed.

We were informed that the personnel of the Hungarian KFOR contingent had several training tasks during the recent weeks. These included a training program for a border security mission in which two helicopters transported the nominated subunits to the venue of the exercise. The tasks of the two-day training program involved 40 to 45 Hungarian troops per day.
Lt.-Col. Szabó told us that the crowd and riot control (CRC) exercise was another key training event in May. The Hungarian troops executed their assigned tasks on platoon and company levels, and held training sessions for the Armenian and US peacekeepers serving in Kosovo.

The KFOR troops went on a multinational exercise in May, during which the Hungarian company was assigned border security and closure duties. This task was smoothly executed, and the superiors were fully satisfied with the Hungarian peacekeepers’ performance, Lt.-Col. Szabó said, adding that last month’s training program included a live fire exercise (LFX). Using pistols and assault rifles, the Hungarians successfully completed the target practice.

The Hungarian troops stationed in Kosovo participated in cultural programs as well. The KFOR HQ in Pristina organizes the “Spring Festival" every year, at which the troop contributing nations (TCN) of KFOR introduce their own countries and armed forces. This year a total of 18 TCNs took part in the event, and the expert jury ranked the Hungarians’ presentation the fifth best. The Hungarian peacekeepers prepared various dishes of the Hungarian cuisine like meatballs and crackling scones to dazzle the troops of other nations. Nobody complained of having been left hungry, Lt.-Col. Sándor Szabó told us.

Thanks to the leadership of the HDF 5th ‘Bocskai István’ Infantry Brigade – the unit from which the majority of the Hungarian KFOR contingent is drawn – on the national day of the outfit, the Hungarian troops in KFOR had opportunity to contact their loved ones at home via a videophone system. Of course, this program was very popular with the peacekeepers on their tour of duty abroad, the commander of the KFOR-4 HUNCON said. He added that the personnel of the Hungarian contingent had marked the Day of the Hungarian Defence Forces. During the ceremony, together with the Portuguese troops stationed in the camp, they stood up to observe a moment of silence in memory of the Hungarian soldiers killed in action in Afghanistan. The HDF troops serving in Pristina lit some candles to commemorate their comrades who fell in Afghanistan.

 
 Photo: HDF KFOR-4 contingent