Turkey plans to send commandos to Kosovo on Sunday and Monday in response to NATO's request to join the KFOR peacekeeping force following unrest in the country's north, the Turkish Defense Ministry said. Reuters.

In a statement, the ministry called for restraint and constructive dialogue to resolve the crisis, which it said could harm regional security and stability.

"Our assigned unit (commando battalion) is scheduled to be deployed to Kosovo on June 4-5," the ministry said.

A political crisis that has turned violent in northern Kosovo has intensified since ethnic Albanian mayors took office in the region's Serb-majority area, prompting the United States and its allies to rebuke Pristina. The majority Serb population boycotted the elections in April, allowing ethnic Albanians to be elected.

In the violence on Monday, 30 peacekeepers and 52 Serbs who protested against the installation of the mayors were injured. The violence prompted NATO to announce it would send additional troops already en route to the Balkan country to bolster its 4.000-strong mission.