War crimes in the Kosovo War

RCMP in Kosovo

War in the balkans kosovo 1999 3

Kofi Anann ne kukes gjate Krizes Kosoves 1999

Monumenti Heroinat në Prishtinë

War in kosovo 1999 2

Memorial - Vushtrri

== War crimes in the Kosovo War ==

The Kosovo War was an armed conflict in Kosovo that lasted from 28 February 1998 until 11 June 1999. The war was fought by the forces of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (comprising the republics of Serbia and Montenegro), which controlled Kosovo before the war, and the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), with air support from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from 24 March 1999, and ground support from the Albanian army.

Background

The conflict has its roots in the disintegration of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. Tensions between the Serbs and the Albanians in Kosovo had been simmering for decades, with the Albanian majority seeking greater autonomy or independence from Serbia. The situation escalated into an armed conflict in 1998.

War Crimes

During the Kosovo War, numerous war crimes were committed by both sides. These included ethnic cleansing, massacres, torture, and sexual violence.

Serbian Forces

Serbian forces were accused of committing widespread atrocities against the Albanian population. This included the Račak massacre, where 45 Albanian civilians were killed, and the Massacre at Meja, where over 300 Albanian men were executed. Serbian forces also engaged in systematic ethnic cleansing, forcibly displacing hundreds of thousands of Albanians from their homes.

Kosovo Liberation Army

The KLA was also accused of committing war crimes, including the abduction and murder of Serbian civilians and suspected collaborators. The Klečka massacre is one such example, where Serbian civilians were reportedly executed by KLA forces.

International Response

The international community responded to the war crimes in Kosovo with a combination of military intervention and judicial action. NATO launched a bombing campaign against Yugoslav forces in March 1999, which played a significant role in ending the conflict. Following the war, the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) indicted several individuals for war crimes, including former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milošević.

Aftermath

The aftermath of the Kosovo War saw the establishment of the United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to oversee the region's transition to peace. Kosovo eventually declared independence from Serbia in 2008, although this has not been universally recognized.

Related Pages

• Kosovo
• Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
• Kosovo Liberation Army
• NATO
• Račak massacre
• Massacre at Meja
• Klečka massacre
• International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
• Slobodan Milošević
• United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo