Excavations in Kalludër Renew Hope of Clarifying the Fate of the Mitrovica Group of Intellectuals

About 20 kilometers separate the city from the village of Kalludër, while the road toward the municipality of Zubin Potok winds through the mountains and is so narrow that two vehicles can barely pass each other. However, this route is not merely a mountain road.

It leads to one of the deepest wounds left by the war in Kosovo. It is precisely in the isolated area of Kalludër, in Zubin Potok, that Serbian forces are suspected of having concealed evidence of one of the gravest crimes committed during the war.

The remains of Albanians abducted on April 19, 1999, known as the “Mitrovica Group of Intellectuals,” are believed to possibly lie beneath this ground. It is suspected that only the Serbian criminals knew the location where the victims’ bodies were hidden, while developments in the effort to uncover it have prompted reactions from the country’s institutional leaders.

Acting President Albulena Haxhiu welcomed the confirmation that a mass grave had been found in Kalludër, Zubin Potok. According to her, this development is particularly important to efforts aimed at clarifying the fate and whereabouts of people forcibly disappeared during the war.

Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti also emphasized that every excavation and every identification brings the country closer to truth and justice.

Kurti announced that excavations began yesterday in the village of Kalludër, Zubin Potok, in an area where a mass grave is suspected to be located. Teams from the Kosovo Police and the Institute of Forensic Medicine are involved in the operation, with support from EULEX. He said this demonstrates that the war has still not ended for many families, as they have yet to find their loved ones. For hundreds of families, the wait continues, and every excavation represents hope, while every identification is a step toward truth and justice.

Alongside the police, representatives of the Institute of Forensic Medicine and the responsible authorities, acting Justice Minister Donika Gërvalla was also present at the location where the crime is suspected to have been committed. She stated that more than 1,500 families are still waiting for news of their relatives.

Meanwhile, the Special Prosecution today submitted a request to the Basic Court in Pristina for two suspects to be remanded in custody over the criminal offense of “War crimes against the civilian population.”

Special Prosecution spokesperson Nora Luta stated that the institution remains committed to investigating the case and clarifying all the circumstances, acting in accordance with the law and the highest professional standards. She explained that, in order to protect the investigative proceedings, no further information can be made public at this stage.

Former Special Prosecution chief prosecutor Elez Blakaj also recalled that on August 4, 2016, he had taken part in excavations in the village of Mala Jabuka in Zvečan. Those searches were conducted to find the remains of 23 intellectuals from Mitrovica who disappeared during the war.

Blakaj said the discovery on July 28, 2026, in Zubin Potok of remains suspected to belong to these individuals was an important step. However, he stressed that the investigations must conclude with an indictment and a judgment so that the crimes committed and their concealment by the Serbian state apparatus are documented and proven.