UK troops on standby over Kosovo

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About 600 members of the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards will be sent to the new state if widespread civil unrest follows its split from neighbouring Serbia.

The soldiers make up the current Nato Response Force which is tasked with assisting troops already deployed in Kosovo if need be.

The Nato-led Kosovo Force (Kfor) currently has about 15,000 personnel in place as part of its peacekeeping efforts in the region.

But if numbers on the ground are deemed to be insufficient in the case of ethnic violence recurring, extra troops will be moved in.

Nato's Response Force rotates its host country every six months, with the UK having taken over the post on January 1.

As such, it will fall upon the 1st Battalion Welsh Guard to go to Kosovo if the need arises.

Equipment including troop carriers and other armoured vehicles have also been earmarked for deployment.

A Ministry of Defence spokesman said: "The UK continues to meet its commitments to the Nato Pan-Balkans quick reaction force alongside our Nato partners.

"This is in case Nato requires a force with extra flexibility to deter or combat outbreaks of violence."