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.

Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo Released by the Department of State, Washington, DC, April 7, 1999

The following types of war crimes or violations of international humanitarian law have been reported in Kosovo since 5 April:

Forcible Displacement of Ethnic Albanian Civilians

Ethnic Albanian refugees continue to report forced expulsions throughout Kosovo. Additional refugee reporting indicates that Serb civilian militia groups are playing a significant role in the expulsions.

Looting of Homes and Businesses

According to refugee reports, a systematic pattern of extortion is continuing. Serb forces are especially targeting the border areas, where they demand money from refugees in exchange for safe passage.

Widespread Burning of Homes

The burning of residential areas in the larger towns and cities of Kosovo, as well as many entire villages is continuing. All the towns between Lapusnik and Komorane in central Kosovo were reportedly burning on 5 April, according to refugee reports.

Detentions

Refugees continue to claim Serb forces are systematically separating military-aged men from the groups. In addition, refugees continue to claim that Kosovar Albanian civilians are being used as human shields against NATO airstrikes.

Summary Executions

Mass executions continue to be reported by Kosovar Albanian refugees throughout the province. Serb forces appear to be targeting young Albanian men, but Serb civilian militia units are reportedly targeting all Albanians, regardless of age or gender.

Atrocities and War Crimes by Location

The following is a partial list of what appear to be war crimes or violations of international humanitarian law reported throughout Kosovo since 5 April: Bruznic. Serb forces reportedly burned down this village near Vucitrn last week. A Kosovar Albanian refugee also claimed that Serb forces have killed 100 ethnic Albanians following the Rambouillet conference.

Dakovica. Serb civilian militia groups are active in the town and reportedly burned a building where a group of ethnic Albanians were taking cover during a NATO airstrike. Nearly 14,000 refugees from Dakovica walked to the Albanian border crossing point at Prushit on 5 April.

General Jankovic. Several Kosovar Albanian refugees claim that Serb security forces have detained as many as 5,000 ethnic Albanians in a cement factory in this border town.

Gornje Obrinje. A Kosovar Albanian refugee claimed that Serb forces executed 12 ethnic Albanians on 5 April.

Izbica. Serb forces have reportedly killed 270 ethnic Albanians since mid-March. Kosovar Albanian refugees reportedly saw bodies that appeared to have been tortured and burned.

Jovic. Serb forces reportedly separated men from the columns of ethnic Albanian civilians, and a Kosovar Albanian refugee claimed that he saw 34 corpses in the town.

Kosvoska Mitrovica. A Kosovar Albanian refugee claimed that Serb forces separated young ethnic Albanian men from the general population, tied their hands together, and led them into the street. Although the refugee did not witness any mass executions, she did witness one VJ soldier shooting an ethnic Albanian while he sat in a car.

Negrovce. According to refugee reports, Serb forces reportedly executed five ethnic Albanians on 5 April.

Pec. Serb forces reportedly attacked a column of refugees leaving Pec on 6 April.

Pristina. Kosovar Albanian refugees continued to report being forcibly expelled first from their homes and then from Pristina via train. Several refugees claim that Serb soldiers used loudspeakers to warn ethnic Albanians to leave town or die.

Suva Reka. A Kosovar Albanian refugee from the town claimed that Serb forces killed 40 men on 4 April and dumped their bodies into two mass graves.

[End of Document]

Return to the DOSFAN Home Page.
This is an official U.S. Government source for information on the WWW. Inclusion of non-U.S. Government links does not imply endorsement of contents.