Washington: Strongly condemning the killing of Indian Border Security Force (BSF) officer Satish Menon in Kosovo, United States has said it was done by criminal elements who wanted to derail the peace process.

"We -- the United States-- join the United Nations special representative in Kosovo, in strongly condemning the murder of a UN police officer, Satish Menon, who was killed while serving as part of the UN missions," state department spokesman Philip Reeker said on August 6.

"This crime, other than a callous murder, is also a crime against Kosovo's civil institutions, against the rule of law, by some criminal elements determined to derail the progress that we have seen in Kosovo," he said.

He said the chief of US office in Pristina, Marcie Ries, has also issued a statement deploring the murder.

Reeker asked the people of Kosovo to give clues to nab those behind the incident.

"We are urging anybody that has knowledge of the crime or the persons involved with it to come forward, so that justice can be done."

Menon, who had gone to Kosovo a few weeks ago to join the UN peacekeeping mission, was killed on August 3 night when unidentified gunmen ambushed the vehicle he was travelling in and fired seven rounds from a hilltop.

Asked whether there were any plans for more practical steps in order to prevent this type of crimes, Reeker said, "law enforcement was an important part of the civil society in Kosovo."

PTI