NATO to reshuffle troops in Kosovo

BRUSSELS, Aug 31 (AFP) -

NATO is to begin a major reshuffle of its KFOR peacekeeping force in Kosovo in October, an official at the transatlantic military alliance said on Wednesday.

"KFOR will transition to a structure based on task forces instead of brigades to improve and facilitate command and control," the official said, on condition of anonymity.

"In addition, operational tactics and techniques will be modified to ensure a closer interaction with the population of Kosovo," the official said.

"There will be an additional headquarters in the southwest of Kosovo, which is going to facilitate command and control."

The official said the transition, expected to take about a year, was being made to improve KFOR effectiveness in the Serbian province and underlined that the capabilities of the peacekeeping force would not be harmed.

Kosovo has been administered by the United Nations since a NATO-led bombing campaign ousted Serb troops from the mainly ethnic Albanian province in 1999 to end fighting between Serbian forces and separatist rebels.