NATO is set to send 700 more troops to the northern region of Kosovo in an effort to stifle riots after clashes with ethnic Serbs left 30 international soldiers wounded. The Associated Press reported that the recent violence in the area came after ethnic Albanians stepped into municipal buildings to take office, despite the votes being boycotted by Serbs. 

The violence continued into Monday, with NATO peacekeepers, known as KFOR, and Serbian police attempting to mitigate the unrest. NATO has reportedly sent over 3,800 troops to help bring peace to the area, but it is not clear how many of those troops are American.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that the organization’s involvement in the unrest is necessary, claiming that there was a reserve battalion prepared for deployment should additional troops be needed to quell the violence.

KFOR’s efforts have included erecting metal fences and barbed-wire barriers in a northern town that has become an epicenter of unrest. The AP noted that troops have also blocked a government building in Zvecan, where the unrest began on Monday.

While a former province of Serbia, Kosovo declared independence in 2008, but it is not recognized by Belgrade. The majority of the population is still ethnic Albanians, but there is a small contingent of Serbs in the northern country bordering Serbia, per the report. Kosovo’s declaration of independence has been recognized by around 100 countries, including the US. However, other nations, including Russia, China, and five EU countries have sided with Serbia, which has extended the conflict in the area.

Stoltenberg has condemned the violence that has erupted, reiterating that NATO troops would be taking “all necessary actions to maintain a safe and secure environment for all citizens in Kosovo.”