The Kosovo War started because of long-standing ethnic and political tensions between Kosovo’s Albanian majority and Serbia’s government. In the 1990s, Serbia, which was led by Slobodan Milošević, took away Kosovo’s rights and used violence to stop them from seeking independence. This led to protests and the rise of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). Serbian forces carried out ethnic cleansing against Albanians, displacing hundreds of thousands and killing many. NATO intervened in 1999 to stop the violence, and after the war, Kosovo moved toward independence, which Serbia still does not recognize.
The Growing Tensions Before the War
The quotes within this blog are from an interview with my mother, Hadije Kryeziu, who experienced the war first-hand at the age 27 with two children, me and my brother.
“It was a tense time. You could feel the unease in the air even before the war officially began. The division between Albanians and Serbs had been simmering for years, but in the late ’90s, things started to escalate. I remember hearing about protests and crackdowns almost daily. There was a lot of fear in our community. Everyone whispered about the growing resistance and the brutal actions of the Serbian military. It was terrifying. The sound of gunfire became part of the background. We tried to go about our lives—cooking, cleaning, taking care of the family—but there was always this shadow of fear. Power and water were cut off often, and we’d go days without the basic necessities. Food was scarce too, and we had to ration whatever we had.”
“We weren’t part of the armed resistance, but we tried to help where we could. I remember sneaking food and supplies to families who couldn’t leave their homes. Your uncle was braver—he was a soldier for the Kosovo Liberation Army. He often retells the stories of how he came face to face with the Serbian police a number of times. It was dangerous, but he felt it was his duty.”
Fleeing Home to Escape Violence
In early spring 1999, people all over Kosovo were forced to leave their homes behind as aggression had peaked. Albania and Northern Macedonia were the first to open their borders and accept refugees. Some people even decided to take the long journey to farther countries in Europe and even America.
“We were in our village outside Prizren which is located less than an hour from Kosovo’s capital, Prishtina. I’ll never forget the constant fear of raids. The Serbian forces would come through, looting and destroying homes. We tried to stay hidden, especially at night. Your grandparents’ house was burned down, and we had to move in with neighbors for a while…”
“It was early spring when the violence became unbearable. We joined thousands of others and fled on foot, heading toward the border with Albania. That journey—oh, it was horrible. We carried only what we could on our backs. I remember carrying you in my arms for miles since you were only 15 months old while I had to still keep an eye on your brother who was walking beside me at the age of only 5. The roads were filled with people, and everywhere you looked, there was despair. I wish I had personal photos to show you but there was nothing available to us and so all I have are my memories…”
Nato Intervention and the end of the war
On March 24 1999, Nato declared war on Serbia and that was the beginning of the end. “Just a few days after we had left our homes, we got the news that NATO under the leadership of President Bill Clinton decided to get involved in the war, to make sure that no more lives were lost”.
“We must be mindful that even though we now have a chance to replace violence with peace, ethnic and religious hatred with a democratic future, a bloody century in Europe with a Europe undivided, democratic and at peace, there is still quite a lot to be done. . . In the past four months we have seen some of the worst inhumanity in our lifetime, but we’ve also seen the bravery of our troops, the resolve of our democracy, the decency of our people and the courage and determination of the people of Kosovo. We now have a moment of hope, thanks to all those qualities. And we have to finish the job and build the peace.”
~ President Clinton, The White House, June 10, 1999
A Community Torn Apart Yet United
The situation after the war was very difficult. With many houses and apartment buildings burnt, people were missing the majority of their basic human needs. But, the hopes were high for a more prosperous future.
“The war tore us apart. Families were separated, homes destroyed, and lives lost. The village we lived in was almost unrecognizable by the time it all ended and yet… It also brought out a sense of solidarity among us. People shared what little they had, and we looked out for one another as best as we could.”
Shortly after the war ended, many major world organizations started their actions of helping the people who were desperate for anything available. The United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and the Red Cross played a major part in bringing a great amount of aid to the houses of people in need.
The Toll of Lives Lost and Missing
After the war, nearly 13000 people were killed by Serbian forces, while nearly 2000 to this day remain missing.
“I still remember the fear of not knowing who would be taken next. There were entire families in our village that were wiped out, their homes turned to rubble. Even now, thousands of people are still missing. They vanished during those years, taken away in the middle of the night or during military raids. Their families have no answers, no graves to visit. Your uncle’s best friend, Hazir, was one of them. He was taken from his home by Serbian police and never came back. His mother still hopes that one day she’ll get a call, that he’ll come walking through the door. It’s heartbreaking. And then there was a woman from the next village—we used to trade food with her family. One day, her entire household was gone. We only learned later that they’d been forced onto a truck, and no one ever saw them again.”
To this day the Serbian government refuses to discuss the dark history that occurred between Kosovo and Serbia, and they refuse to answer questions regarding the lives lost and those missing during the war. With continued speculation regarding mass graves in Serbian territories, thousands of families in Kosovo are still left wondering where the bodies of their loved ones might be.
Kosovo independence day
On February 17, 2008, Kosovo declared independence. This independence that was paid with the blood of thousands of people, was finally happening and becoming a real thing. I was only 10 years old and I still vividly remember the day. Even though this was supposed to be a happy day for us, for thousands of families the emotions were very mixed with sadness and grief for the loss of their loved ones. Quickly after the declaration was read, the celebration started which lasted for a few days.
Kosovo today is a young country, still facing challenges, especially in its relationship with Serbia. There are tensions that remind us of the past, but we’ve come a long way. Being recognized by USA, majority of European Nation countries and other nations around the globe, has brought hope and opportunity, and you can see it in how our people are rebuilding and moving forward.
Today, our country is led by Vjosa Osmani who is one of the few female presidents to run an entire country. She never misses an opportunity to speak up about our past, and demand answers from Serbia. We are stronger, more united, and determined to create a better future for the next generation. The scars of the war remain, but they fuel our resilience and pride in what Kosovo is becoming.
References:
https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2019/4/15/positive-objectives-maximum-leverage-allied-force-and-air-power-strategy (Slobodan Milošević photo)
https://widerimage.reuters.com/story/30-years-of-reuters-pictures-part-one (Photo of mother in Kosovo breastfeeding her child while fleeing the country by foot)
https://balkaninsight.com/2019/11/06/can-kosovo-get-payback-for-wartime-devastation (Houses on fire)
https://historicflix.com/69-of-the-most-chilling-photos-from-history/ (Man in tears over his lost children)
https://www.koha.net/en/arberi/cerekshekulli-nga-masakra-e-recakut-drejtesia-askund (Mass funeral)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashim_Tha%C3%A7i (Picture of Hashim Thaci, Joe Biden, and Fatmir Sejdiu in 2013)
https://x.com/VjosaOsmaniPRKS/status/1716548983709925793 (Vjosa Osmani speaking at UN on October 23, 2023)
https://www.dw.com/en/25-years-later-what-happened-during-the-kosovo-war/a-69318675
https://www.dw.com/en/25-years-later-what-happened-during-the-kosovo-war/a-69318675
https://clintonwhitehouse5.archives.gov/WH/EOP/NSC/html/nsc-07.html#