Two arrested for war crimes in Kosovo, Belgrade and Serbian List erupt with accusations

Two individuals have been handcuffed by the Kosovo Special Prosecution and placed under a 48-hour detention order, suspected of committing war crimes against civilians.

According to the official announcement, suspects M.J. and M.B. are accused of perpetrating violence against the civilian population in the Mitrovica region during the 1999 conflict.

The prosecution stressed that investigations are ongoing and, for the sake of protecting the criminal proceedings, no further details will be released at this stage.

On the other hand, the Serbian List – the main political formation of Serbs in Kosovo, which enjoys Belgrade’s support – described the war crime charges as an instrument of pressure against their community rather than a genuine pursuit of justice.

The party considered the arrests as part of a continuous campaign of intimidation by Kosovo authorities, directed by acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti.

The Office for Kosovo in the Government of Serbia also reacted sharply, labeling the detention carried out in Zubin Potok as an act of terrorism, revenge, and threats against Serbs.

During the 1998-1999 war in Kosovo, more than 13,000 civilians lost their lives and thousands more went missing.

The search is still ongoing for around 1,600 people who have not been found, the vast majority of whom are Albanians.

Kosovo’s institutions have recently intensified arrests and the filing of indictments for war crimes.

Investigations into these crimes were initially conducted by the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) during the 2000-2008 period, later transferring to EULEX, the European Union’s rule-of-law mission.

In 2018, EULEX handed over the war crimes case files to Kosovo’s local judicial system.