Kosovo digs at new mass grave sites in search for war missing
Workers in Kosovo have begun excavating newly found mass graves, offering a possible lead in the search for 1,600 people missing since the 1998-99 war.
Excavations have begun at newly discovered mass grave sites in northern Kosovo, reviving hopes for families still seeking closure from the 1998-99 conflict. The dig, which started in late July near the villages of Upper and Lower Kalluder in Zubin Potok municipality, follows the discovery of human remains in the area.
Among those waiting for answers is Erblin Ademi, who was nine years old when his father, a prominent surgeon, disappeared in April 1999. Adem Ademi was one of 23 intellectuals who vanished while reportedly attempting to flee Kosovo. Prime Minister Albin Kurti has suggested the remains found could belong to this group.
Ademi described the excavation as bringing both hope and pain. He said the possibility of finally learning the truth coexists with the enduring grief of nearly three decades of uncertainty. He stressed that every person deserves a place to be mourned and remembered.
Around 1,600 people remain missing from the war, including roughly 1,200 ethnic Albanians, 400 ethnic Serbs, and dozens of Roma, according to the Humanitarian Law Center. The conflict claimed about 13,000 lives and ended with Kosovo declaring independence in 2008, a move Serbia still does not recognise.
Tensions persist between the two countries. A 2023 agreement included commitments to clarify the fate of the missing, but both sides accuse each other of failing to cooperate. The Humanitarian Law Center's Bekim Blakaj said authorities appear unwilling to work together. The European Union has urged both nations to normalise ties as part of their EU membership ambitions.
Last month, Kosovo police arrested two ethnic Serbs on suspicion of war crimes linked to the mass graves. They remain in custody. Several senior Serbian officials have previously been convicted of war crimes in Kosovo by a UN tribunal in The Hague.
For Ademi, the latest excavation offers a fragile but persistent hope. He said his family is prepared to wait as long as necessary to honour the missing properly.