The following is a list of atrocity incidents reported throughout Kosovo since
late March 1999:
A-B
|| C-D ||
E-H || I-J
|| K-L ||
M-N || O-P
|| Q-R ||
S-T || U-V
|| W-Z
Place Name KFOR
Sector
Obilic U.K.
An alleged mass grave containing up to 30 bodies has been reported to KFOR
for Obilic on 15 & 17 June and 3 July 1999. In one report a mass grave
contains 30 bodies; in another report, a mass grave contains the bodies of
eight adults and two children. Thirty bodies have also been reported for Obilic.
According to earlier refugee reports, 30 Kosovar Albanians are buried in a
mass grave.
Obrandza U.K.
An alleged mass grave containing nine bodies has been reported to KFOR for Obrandza on 9 July 1999, while another international source has also reported nine bodies for Obrandza.
Obrinje Dorne Obrinje French/U.K.
A mass grave/exposed bodies site containing 23 bodies has been reported for Obrinje Dorne Obrinje.
Orahovac German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding 91 bodies at two sites; 68 bodies at one site and 23 bodies at another site. In addition, there is unconfirmed reporting to KFOR of an alleged mass grave containing 70 bodies one kilometer from Orahovac.
Prior to KFOR's entry into Kosovo, refugees reported that an unknown number of Kosovar Albanian civilians were killed during the ethnic cleansing of the city. A group of Roma who arrived at the Albanian border on 8 April claimed they were expelled because Serbian authorities said they were originally from Albania and not "true" Kosovars. The group also reported that Serbian forces massacred some 50 Kosovar Albanians, including women, children, and the elderly.
According to the refugees, as many as 700 men were used as human shields in early April. The Kosovar Albanian men were forced to stand in front of tanks in the rain for two days with their hands tied behind their backs. A few of them eventually escaped by paying the soldiers 10,000 German marks. Serbian forces killed 12 Kosovar Albanian civilians in Orahovac on 9 May, according to Kosovar press reports.
A Kosovar Albanian refugee reported that she and 24 other women were gang raped by Serbian forces on 29 April.
Orahovo French
An alleged mass grave, with the dimensions of 6 x 9 meters with unknown contents, has been reported to KFOR for Orahovo on 6 July 1999.
Orlate U.K.
A mass grave/exposed bodies site with unknown size and contents has been reported for Orlate. According to earlier refugee reporting, this small village located on the crossroads between Pristina, Pec, and Malisevo was set on fire by Serbian forces on 30 March after some 200 Kosovar Albanian men had been executed.
Orlovic U.K.
An alleged mass grave has been reported to KFOR for Orlovic on 16 June 1999 of unknown size and contents, based on an ABC-TV report that a possible mass grave was located near a Muslim cemetery.
Ostrozub German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding one body at Ostrozub. Earlier, an alleged mass grave suspected of containing bodies buried under cow cadavers, suspected bodies in a well, and within a house, were reported to KFOR for this site on 6 July 1999.
Padaliste French
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding 16 bodies at Padaliste. Earlier, on 27 June 1999, KFOR identified three separate atrocity sites. At one site approximately 90 bodies were reportedly discovered buried, with stone markers with progressive numbers and dates from 26-30 May 99 and the letters "NN FPD." At two separate sites nearby, ten and six bodies, respectively, were reportedly found unburied.
Pagarusa German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding three bodies at Pagarusa.
Palmeja German
A mass grave/exposed bodies site containing 22 bodies has been reported for Palmeja.
Papaz U.S.
An alleged mass grave containing 4-5 bodies has been reported to KFOR for Papaz on 9 July 1999.
Paralovo U.S.
An alleged mass grave containing 55 bodies has been reported to KFOR for Paralovo on 7 July 1999, while another international source has also reported 55 bodies for Paralovo.
Path Italian
A mass grave/exposed bodies site containing two bodies has been reported for Path.
Pavjane Italian
[Pavljane]
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding no bodies at Pavjane
Pec Italian
Site investigations were completed in Pec and have confirmed finding a total of 66 bodies at three separate sites. One site contained one body, while the remaining sites contained 6, and 59 bodies each.
Serbian forces expelled some 50,000 Albania Kosovars from Pec, and reportedly attacked a column of refugees leaving Pec on 6 April. At least 50 Kosovar Albanians reportedly were killed and buried in the yards of their homes on the evening of 27 March. On the same day, all Kosovar Albanians were reportedly herded into a five-story building in the center of town. MUP forces then loaded them on buses and transported them out of the city. On 28 March, 200 Kosovar Albanians who sought sanctuary in a Catholic church in Pec were removed and forced out of town. To further terrorize Kosovar Albanians, Serbian forces reportedly looted and burned Kosovar Albanian homes and shops throughout the town. On 1 May, Serbian forces reportedly continued to burn Kosovar Albanian homes in villages around Pec. According to Kosovar Albanian press reports, in one incident Serbian forces killed 26 civilians near Pec in early May.
In addition, according to a 22 June 1999 New York Times report, Serbian forces used the Hotel Karagac as a rape camp for Albanian women.
Pecane German
On 22 June 1999, KFOR identified a marked grave in a field containing one body for this site, while another international source has also reported one body for Pecane.
Petrovo U.K.
An alleged mass grave consisting of seven graves of victims killed on 24 March 1999, has been reported to KFOR for Petrovo on 27 June 1999, while another international source has also reporteded seven bodies for Petrovo.
Pidic U.S.
An alleged mass grave containing 100 bodies has been reported to KFOR for Pidic on 9 July 1999, while another international source has also reported 100 bodies for Pidic.
Pinish German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding no bodies for Pinish. An alleged mass grave consisting of an unknown number of bodies in a well, had been reported to KFOR for this place name on 22 June 1999, while the ICTY had reported 100 bodies for Pinish. It remains uncertain at this time if any of these sites are the same.
Pirane German
According to KFOR reporting, there has been a confirmed completion of a mass grave site investigation, however the results of the investigation are unknown as of early November. According to an alleged mass grave report to KFOR on 15 July 1999, 5-6 bodies are in the village cemetery.
Planeja German
An alleged mass grave containing the bodies of 22 women located near a former Serbian position has been reported to KFOR for Planeja on 11 July 1999.
Pllocica German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding one body at Pllocica
Podgrade U.S.
A site investigation was completed at one site and has confirmed finding seven bodies. In addition, on 6 August 1999, another mass grave consisting of two unidentified, comparatively fresh looking bodies, reportedly floating downstream was reported, as well as one body at another site.
Podujevo U.K.
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding 19 bodies at Podujevo. According to earlier refugee reports, Serbian security forces were burning villages east and southeast of this town as late as 5 April. Serbian forces may have executed 200 Kosovar Albanian men of military age. In addition, Serbians reportedly removed Kosovar Albanians from their cars and shot them on the spot. Many buildings in the town were burned. On 19 April, Serbian forces reportedly used Kosovar Albanians as human shields along the road between Podujevo and Pristina. According to a 20 June 1999 Reuters report, displaced persons were taken from their mountain hideouts and driven to five burned-out villages that were turned into "concentration camps." All those older than six months of age were given identity cards. The camps were reportedly surrounded by Serbian forces and anyone attempting to leave the camps was shot on sight.
Pojatiste U.S.
An alleged mass grave containing four bodies of execution victims has been reported to KFOR for Pojatiste on 9 July 1999. On 4 July, six bodies were reported by another international source for this alleged execution site.
Poklek U.K.
An alleged mass grave containing 53 bodies has been reported to KFOR for Poklek on 9 July 1999, while another international source has also reported 53 bodies for Poklek. Earlier, Kosovar Albanian refugees claimed to have seen at least six corpses in a house in late April. Serbian forces in the town reportedly warned the Kosovar Albanians to leave, saying that their situation would be worse when the "real war starts." Additional refugees claimed that Serbian forces buried at least 64 Kosovar Albanian corpses in a mass grave. According to a 28 July 1999 Guardian report, 53 villagers were killed on 17 April. Human Rights Watch reported that a Serbian policeman rounded up 47 members of a Kosovar Albanian family in a room of a house, where they waited while he executed two men outside, dumping their bodies in a well. He then lobbed a grenade into the room before firing an assault rifle at the people inside, among them 23 children under the age of 15, all of whom were reportedly killed.
Poljance French
On 22 June 1999, KFOR identified a site where a 50 square meter patch of ground was overturned and where corpses were reportedly seen under some of the ground. A mass grave/exposed bodies site containing 26 bodies has been reported for Poljance.
Pomazatin U.K.
[Pomozotin]
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding no bodies at Pomazatin.
Pones U.K.
A mass grave/exposed bodies site of unknown size and contents has been reported for Pones
Popovljane German
An alleged mass grave in a field with clothing and presumably body parts has been reported to KFOR for Popovljane on 26 June 1999.
Popovo U.K.
Serbian aircraft reportedly bombed this village southwest of Podujevo, killing ten Kosovar Albanians.
Posliste German
An alleged mass grave of unknown size and contents has been reported to KFOR for Posliste on 23 June 1999, as well as reported by another international source.
Prekale Italian
An alleged mass grave containing 60 bodies has been reported to KFOR for Prekale on 22 June 1999, while another international source has also reported 60 bodies for Prekale..
Pristina U.K.
Fifteen alleged mass grave reports have been provided to KFOR for Pristina, from 15 June to 13 July 1999. According to these reports, a total of 62 people were killed in six separate incidents: 26 bodies were at one site; the UCK reported finding 18 headless bodies of Kosovar Albanians at another site; five bodies were reportedly found at the Aleska Santic School, Pristina; six bodies were reportedly found in and around a house--four were executed by the MUP on 31 March and two were shot by a sniper on 1 April; three bodies were reportedly found at another site; while at another site, four civilians were reportedly killed by VJ/MUP forces 15 June. In addition, an uncorroborated report to the UNHCR claims that 200 persons were killed at the Pristina Technical School, and that their bodies were removed to Kolovicja.
From another source, five separate mass grave/exposed bodies sites have been reported in Pristina containing a total of 154 bodies. One site has no body count recorded, while the other five sites each contain 60, 50, 30, 8, and 6 bodies, respectively.
According to earlier refugee reporting, Kosovar Albanian refugees were forcibly expelled first from their homes and then from Pristina via train. Several refugees claim that Serbian soldiers used loudspeakers to warn Kosovar Albanians to leave town or die. A Kosovar refugee reported seeing Serbian forces supervise a mass burial on March 30; Roma reportedly were throwing bodies encased in plastic bags into a large pit. On 2 April, a Kosovar Albanian claimed to have seen three truckloads of dead bodies accompanied by three or four armored vehicles in a graveyard in Pristina.
Serbian forces appeared to have completed military operations in the city and were focusing on ethnically cleansing the IDP-swollen city by 4 April. Male Kosovar Albanians, including prominent human rights lawyer Bjram Kelmendi and his two sons, were executed. Serbian paramilitary units burned and looted Kosovar Albanian homes and shops throughout the city. Mixed Serbian police and paramilitary units separated men from women and children, and Serbs distributed pamphlets admonishing Kosovar Albanians to leave or be killed. Approximately 25,000 Kosovar Albanians were sent by rail from Pristina to Macedonia on 1 April, and over 200,000 reportedly were detained pending transport. Most of these IDPs reportedly were without food, water, medicine, or shelter. In addition, refugees traveling from Pristina via trains report that Serbian paramilitary units boarded the cars and stole all of their valuables.
The civilians reportedly were processed at the Pristina Sports Complex and then marched to the train station. However Russian Ambassador to Yugoslavia Yuri Kotov, visited the Pristina Stadium on 5 April and claimed that there was no truth to the reports that Serbian forces were using the stadium as a detention center. Buses and large cargo trucks also were used, reportedly to transport IDPs to within three to six miles of the border, where they were left to make their way out on foot. The Serbians crammed thousands of refugees on trains and deposited them on the Macedonian border. One elderly man described the trip as "the train of misery."
Refugees reported that the Kosovar Albanian neighborhoods of Pristina resembled a ghost town. Pristina police reportedly arrested as many as 20 former OSCE/KVM local employees, and authorities were said to have searched for any Kosovar Albanian who held an official government position, worked for an international organization, or worked with foreign journalists.
Prizren German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding three bodies at Prizren. However, at least 14 alleged mass grave reports and seven identified mass grave reports had been received by KFOR for the city of Prizren through June and July, 1999. About 30 bodies are included in the alleged reporting. About five bodies are attributed to identified reporting, but also include VJ dead.
Another international source had reported three separate mass grave/exposed bodies sites containing a total of 131 bodies, each containing 106, 22, and 3 bodies, respectively. Reporting prior to KFOR's entry into Kosovo indicated that Serbian forces executed 20 to 30 civilians and transported Kosovar Albanians to the border in late March according to refugee accounts. At the border, Serbian forces confiscated all personal documentation, removed all license plates from vehicles, and warned refugees never to return to Kosovo.
A Kosovar Albanian who traveled to Prizren for a funeral on 2 April reportedly witnessed Kosovar Albanian civilians being forcibly evicted from their homes on two hours notice. The houses were then either set ablaze or used to shelter Serbian forces. Another refugee from Prizren reportedly witnessed Serbian forces burying numerous Kosovar Albanian bodies and burning homes throughout the town.
According to refugee reports, Serbian forces surrounded Prizren on 2 May. Those Kosovar Albanians who were allowed to leave were stripped of their identity cards and forced to walk to the border. The remaining Kosovar Albanians experienced widespread food shortages and Serbian storeowners reportedly placed signs in their windows reading "No bread for Albanians."
Prlina Italian
A mass grave/exposed bodies site containing 20 bodies has been reported for Prlina.
Pusto Selo German
According to ICTY information on November 10, 1999, a site investigation was completed and has confirmed finding 106 bodies at Pusto Selo. According to earlier reporting, the bodies of some 70 Kosovar Albanians ranging in age from 14 to 50 were reportedly discovered by IDPs on 1 April. Serbian authorities reportedly executed a survivor who sought medical treatment nearby. Overhead imagery confirmed the presence of a mass burial site in mid-April.
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