The State Department web site below is a permanent electronic archive of information released prior to January 20, 2001.  Please see www.state.gov for material released since President George W. Bush took office on that date.  This site is not updated so external links may no longer function.  Contact us with any questions about finding information. NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

KDOM Update Released by the Bureau of European Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, February 16, 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(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)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 16, 1999

The town of Urosevac was rocked Saturday by a bomb which injured nine (two seriously). There are unconfirmed reports from ethnic Albanian political leaders in the area that four additional injured persons were kidnapped following the blast. The party responsible for the explosion, as with the similar bombing on February 6 in Pristina, remains unknown. OSCE/KVM is investigating both explosions.

KVM also continues to investigate and try to locate the two Serbian policemen reportedly kidnapped on February 9 in Vucitrn. The KLA has now claimed not to be holding the two and to know nothing of the kidnaping.

On February 12 at around 6:30 p.m., the KVM received word of the shooting death of a civilian man and wounding of two policemen near the village of Donji (3 km. south of Glogovac). No further details are yet available.

On Sunday and yesterday, Kosovo remained generally quiet but with tensions continuing to mount in some areas. KDOM observed a significant increase in police checkpoints around Pristina, and there were also reports of OSCE vehicles being stopped by Serbian police. The latter incidents followed the Urosevac bombing and could have been due to increased nervousness on the part of the police.

Two ethnic Albanian children were injured on February 14 by a grenade which exploded in an abandoned house where they played. The explosive was apparently buried in a ruined wall and was dislodged by the children.

The F.R.Y. continues to rotate troops into and within Kosovo, resulting in the visible movements of VJ forces over the past few days. KVM continues to monitor troop movements. An army "exercise" near Vucitrn reportedly has raised tensions among residents of that area. These VJ activities appear to some to be designed to provoke the KLA. According to KDOM reports today, however, the KLA has exercised restraint in the region and so far conflict has been avoided.

The KVM reports that VJ units stationed in the Podujevo area are becoming less and less cooperative with international verifiers and observers. The OSCE verifiers will be visiting Roma villages tomorrow to get an idea of how that minority group is faring.

The attention of media and many individuals in Kosovo continues to be on developments in the Rambouillet talks. Most welcomed the extension of the talks until next Saturday. KVM and KDOM are actively reviewing possible developments within Kosovo as that deadline approaches.

[End of Document]

Previous reports

Special Section on Kosovo Home Page
Office of the Special Representative
Bureau of European Affairs Home Page.
DOSFAN Home Page.