Kosovo arrests five Serbs in war crimes investigation linked to 1999 massacre

Sunday 14 June 2026 - 14:08

Authorities in Kosovo have arrested five Serb nationals as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged war crimes committed during the 1998–1999 conflict. The detainees include four former police officers, according to a statement from judicial sources.

The arrests are linked to the investigation of the Recak (Reçak) massacre, one of the most well-known and controversial incidents of the Kosovo war. In January 1999, more than 40 ethnic Albanian civilians were killed in the village, an event that intensified international attention on the conflict and increased pressure on diplomatic efforts at the time.

A prosecutor confirmed that this is the first wave of arrests connected to the case. The suspects are believed to have been involved in actions related to the killings carried out by Serbian forces during that period.

Kosovo police carried out the operation on Sunday, marking a significant development in long-running judicial efforts to address wartime crimes nearly three decades after the conflict ended.

The case remains highly sensitive, reflecting continuing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, who maintain disputed interpretations of the war and its aftermath.