Judges of a European Union-backed court have issued arrest warrants for three Kosovo war veterans on charges related to offenses against the administration of justice. The Specialist Prosecutor’s Office, based in The Hague, Netherlands, confirmed that ongoing operations in Kosovo have been authorized by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers and supported by the EU's Rule of Law Mission, EULEX.
Media reports in Kosovo have indicated that three war veterans have been arrested as part of these operations. The court in The Hague, along with a linked prosecutor’s office, was established following a 2011 report by the Council of Europe, which included allegations of serious crimes committed by Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fighters during the 1998-1999 war for independence from Serbia.
Notably, the court has not included allegations of organ trafficking in its indictments. However, top leaders of the KLA, including former President Hashim Thaci, former parliamentary Speaker Kadri Veseli, and ex-lawmaker Rexhep Selimi, have been in custody since November 2020. They are currently on trial facing charges such as murder, torture, and persecution during and after the war.
Additionally, two other war veterans have already been sentenced to jail terms for war crimes, while two leaders of a Kosovo war veterans’ association have been convicted of witness intimidation and obstructing justice.
The 1998-1999 war in Kosovo resulted in the deaths of approximately 13,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians. The conflict was brought to an end by a 78-day NATO air campaign against Serbian troops. Despite Kosovo declaring its independence from Serbia in 2008, Belgrade, along with its key allies Russia and China, continues to refuse to recognize Kosovo's sovereignty.
