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KDOM Update Released by the Bureau of European Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, February 11, 1999

(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)

Compiled by EUR/SCE (202-647-5624) from daily reports of the U.S. element
of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission and other sources

February 11, 1999

Kosovo is generally quiet again today but with considerable movement of VJ and police units noted. Tensions remain high in several areas, and there are some unconfirmed reports of shelling near the Pristina-Podujevo road yesterday.

Yesterday afternoon, KDOM observed a 27-vehicle VJ convoy including three personnel busses passing through Suva Reka, Stimlje, and Lipijan and proceeding to the Pristina garrison. Another large convoy had been recorded earlier in the day moving to the Pristina airport, possibly for temporary storage of the vehicles.

Early today there were reports of small arms firing around Lapusnik. There were no reports of casualties. KVM is investigating.

KDOM and KVM were asked by Serb police to assist in finding 2 Serb policemen who where reportedly kidnapped in Novo Selo near Vucitrin. The abduction by five uniformed KLA soldiers was said to have happened at about 5:00 PM on February 9 when the off-duty policemen were driving in a private car. KVM and KDOM are actively investigating the reported incident.

All 40 bodies of those who died in last month's massacre at Racak were returned to the village yesterday. KVM personnel stayed with the remains overnight to assure security, and a mass funeral and burial were held today. The village of Racak is crowded for the sad occasion with as many as 10,000 mourners and hundreds of extra police.

Villagers near Lozica told KDOM that Serbian police blockaded the Pristina-Pec highway on February 9 and searched cars and busses closely. Villagers also reported that police fire on the village and that they saw four Serb policemen set fire to a warehouse in Lozica last Sunday afternoon. KDOM visited the area yesterday and spoke with police who were located behind trees and off the road. The police greeted KDOM cordially and denied any knowledge of the reported Lozica incidents.

In Lozica, KDOM was told by displaced persons that there are some 240 IDPs from Malisevo, Klina, and Glogovac now living in Lozica. Humanitarian shipments to the people have stopped, they said, and the community is in great need of medication, food, and other supplies.

In Kijevo, KDOM observed about 20 Serb policemen in the village. The KDOM patrol spoke with one of the two remaining ethnic Albanians still living in Kijevo who said that police presence had heightened but that no harassment or intimidation had been directed toward him. He said the police regularly fire their weapons after nightfall.

In Bobovac, KDOM received a request from villagers to help in the return of a local woman who had gone to Djakovica to give birth. The request was passed to KVM for action.

In Mlecane, KLA told KDOM that automatic weapons fire had been directed on the village on the night of February 9. The KLA official could not trace the origin of the fire. He said the village has a population of 1,366 plus about 150 IDPs.

Due to what it feels is a deteriorating security situation in Pristina, UNHCR has instituted a mandatory 7:00 PM curfew for its people.

[End of Document]

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