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| What was the Kosovo Liberation Army and why are its leaders on trial? | What was the Kosovo Liberation Army and why are its leaders on trial? |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A former president of Kosovo has gone on trial in The Hague along with three other ex-leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. | A former president of Kosovo has gone on trial in The Hague along with three other ex-leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army. |
| Hashim Thaçi stood down from office in November 2020 to face charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during and after Kosovo's war with Serbia, in 1998 and 1999. | Hashim Thaçi stood down from office in November 2020 to face charges of crimes against humanity allegedly committed during and after Kosovo's war with Serbia, in 1998 and 1999. |
| Where is Kosovo? | Where is Kosovo? |
| Kosovo is in the Balkans, bordering Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia. | |
| Many Serbs consider it the birthplace of their nation. | Many Serbs consider it the birthplace of their nation. |
| But today, more than 90% of the 1.8 million people living there are ethnic Albanians. | But today, more than 90% of the 1.8 million people living there are ethnic Albanians. |
| Kosovo used to be a self-governing province of Serbia - which itself was part of the former Yugoslavia. | Kosovo used to be a self-governing province of Serbia - which itself was part of the former Yugoslavia. |
| However, in 1989, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic stripped it of that status. | However, in 1989, Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic stripped it of that status. |
| This sparked a movement amongst ethnic Albanians to make Kosovo a completely independent nation. | This sparked a movement amongst ethnic Albanians to make Kosovo a completely independent nation. |
| In 1998 and 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fought Serbian forces in an all-out war. | In 1998 and 1999, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fought Serbian forces in an all-out war. |
| An international consortium tried to establish peace. The Kosovan delegation signed a peace treaty, but the Serbian side refused. | An international consortium tried to establish peace. The Kosovan delegation signed a peace treaty, but the Serbian side refused. |
| After 11 weeks of Nato air strikes, Serbian forces left Kosovo in 1999. | After 11 weeks of Nato air strikes, Serbian forces left Kosovo in 1999. |
| In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence. | In 2008, Kosovo unilaterally declared independence. |
| Ninety nine of the UN's 193 member states recognise it as a country in its own right. Serbia does not. | Ninety nine of the UN's 193 member states recognise it as a country in its own right. Serbia does not. |
| What was the Kosovo Liberation Army? | What was the Kosovo Liberation Army? |
| The KLA was a militant group of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, set up in the early 1990s. | The KLA was a militant group of ethnic Albanians in Kosovo, set up in the early 1990s. |
| From 1996, its members carried out attacks on Serbian police stations and other targets. | From 1996, its members carried out attacks on Serbian police stations and other targets. |
| Serbian forces responded by cracking down on Kosovo's ethnic Albanian population, raiding villages and expelling people from their homes. | Serbian forces responded by cracking down on Kosovo's ethnic Albanian population, raiding villages and expelling people from their homes. |
| Members of the KLA fought a war against Serb forces in 1998 and 1999 | Members of the KLA fought a war against Serb forces in 1998 and 1999 |
| During the war of 1998-1999, and immediately after it ended, members of the KLA are alleged to have targeted ethnic Serbs, and others, including fellow Albanians they considered to be opponents or collaborators. | During the war of 1998-1999, and immediately after it ended, members of the KLA are alleged to have targeted ethnic Serbs, and others, including fellow Albanians they considered to be opponents or collaborators. |
| The crimes they are charged with include persecution, imprisonment, abduction, torture and murder. | The crimes they are charged with include persecution, imprisonment, abduction, torture and murder. |
| According to the court's indictment, these crimes took place in more than 100 locations in Kosovo and in northern Albania, where Serb civilians were allegedly detained and mistreated or murdered. | According to the court's indictment, these crimes took place in more than 100 locations in Kosovo and in northern Albania, where Serb civilians were allegedly detained and mistreated or murdered. |
| However, it is hard to say that any crimes committed by rank-and-file members of the KLA were ordered by its senior officers, says Tim Judah, The Economist's Balkans correspondent. | However, it is hard to say that any crimes committed by rank-and-file members of the KLA were ordered by its senior officers, says Tim Judah, The Economist's Balkans correspondent. |
| "The KLA emerged very fast, and its command was very unfocused. It is difficult to define what the chain of command was," he says. | "The KLA emerged very fast, and its command was very unfocused. It is difficult to define what the chain of command was," he says. |
| Who is Hashim Thaçi? | Who is Hashim Thaçi? |
| An ethnic Albanian, Hashim Thaçi was one of the founders of the KLA. | An ethnic Albanian, Hashim Thaçi was one of the founders of the KLA. |
| In July 1997, a Serbian-run court in Kosovo sentenced him in absentia to 10 years in prison for "criminal acts of terrorism". | In July 1997, a Serbian-run court in Kosovo sentenced him in absentia to 10 years in prison for "criminal acts of terrorism". |
| However, according to Mr Judah, "Hashim Thaçi wasn't a military commander. He gave the KLA its political direction." | However, according to Mr Judah, "Hashim Thaçi wasn't a military commander. He gave the KLA its political direction." |
| On January 9, 2008, Mr Thaçi was elected prime minister of Kosovo, and in 2016, he was elected president. | On January 9, 2008, Mr Thaçi was elected prime minister of Kosovo, and in 2016, he was elected president. |
| In 2020 a special tribunal in The Netherlands indicted him for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He resigned the presidency to face trial, and has been detained in The Hague ever since. | In 2020 a special tribunal in The Netherlands indicted him for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He resigned the presidency to face trial, and has been detained in The Hague ever since. |
| From guerrilla leader to Kosovo's president | From guerrilla leader to Kosovo's president |
| How will the trial work? | How will the trial work? |
| The trial is being held in a temporary court called the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, which was set up under an agreement between the EU and Kosovo's parliament, known as the Kosovo Assembly. | The trial is being held in a temporary court called the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in the Hague, which was set up under an agreement between the EU and Kosovo's parliament, known as the Kosovo Assembly. |
| It is staffed by international judges and lawyers. | It is staffed by international judges and lawyers. |
| The court was established in 2015 after EU investigators gathered fresh evidence of war crimes allegedly committed by KLA commanders, and filed indictments against them. | The court was established in 2015 after EU investigators gathered fresh evidence of war crimes allegedly committed by KLA commanders, and filed indictments against them. |
| Hashim Thaçi is being tried alongside the former speaker of Kosovo's parliament Kadri Veseli, former KLA spokesman Jakup Krasniqi and former KLA commander Rexhep Selimi. | Hashim Thaçi is being tried alongside the former speaker of Kosovo's parliament Kadri Veseli, former KLA spokesman Jakup Krasniqi and former KLA commander Rexhep Selimi. |
| All four men have pleaded not guilty. | All four men have pleaded not guilty. |
| In December 2022, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers convicted the KLA commander Salih Mustafa, who ran a prison during the war where torture took place. | In December 2022, the Kosovo Specialist Chambers convicted the KLA commander Salih Mustafa, who ran a prison during the war where torture took place. |
| He was sentenced to 26 years in prison but has launched an appeal. | He was sentenced to 26 years in prison but has launched an appeal. |
| In 2009, three former members of the KLA were found guilty in a Kosovo court of torturing prisoners in a camp, and were sentenced for between three and six years. | In 2009, three former members of the KLA were found guilty in a Kosovo court of torturing prisoners in a camp, and were sentenced for between three and six years. |
| Former Kosovan prime minister Ramush Haradinaj was twice tried for war crimes at The Hague, and twice acquiitted. | Former Kosovan prime minister Ramush Haradinaj was twice tried for war crimes at The Hague, and twice acquiitted. |
| Another court at The Hague - the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia - held two trials of KLA commander and Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in the years between 2007 and 2012. | Another court at The Hague - the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia - held two trials of KLA commander and Kosovan Prime Minister Ramush Haradinaj in the years between 2007 and 2012. |
| He was acquitted both times. | He was acquitted both times. |
| Kosovo ex-rebels 'should face trial' | Kosovo ex-rebels 'should face trial' |
| Kosovo war crimes court for The Hague | Kosovo war crimes court for The Hague |
| How will the trials be seen in Kosovo and Serbia? | How will the trials be seen in Kosovo and Serbia? |
| The trials are likely to be divisive in Kosovo and Serbia, where ethnic tensions persist. | The trials are likely to be divisive in Kosovo and Serbia, where ethnic tensions persist. |
| "The Serbs have always seen the KLA as a terrorist organisation," according to Prof Rachel Kerr from Kings College London. | "The Serbs have always seen the KLA as a terrorist organisation," according to Prof Rachel Kerr from Kings College London. |
| "However, ethnic Albanians are upset about these trials because they feel they were the victims of Serbian aggression, and they think they had right on their side." | "However, ethnic Albanians are upset about these trials because they feel they were the victims of Serbian aggression, and they think they had right on their side." |
| Kosovo: Why is trouble flaring up again? | Kosovo: Why is trouble flaring up again? |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Kosovo | Kosovo |