Kosovo identifies remains of three people missing during war — Balkan Insight

In Kosovo, the remains of three people who went missing during the 1998–1999 war have been identified following DNA analysis conducted in The Hague. Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced this.

Identified individuals

As Balkan Insight writes, the government commission on missing persons received DNA reports confirming the identities of Adem (Fazli) Ademi, Fatmir (Bajram) Fazlija, and Ali (Islam) Haliti. According to Kurti, their families have already been informed of the identification results.

Kurti said that all three were among Kosovo Albanian intellectuals whom, according to him, Serbian armed forces abducted in April 1999, after which they were subjected to enforced disappearance.

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Excavations in northern Kosovo

The remains were exhumed in the villages of Kalluder and Jabuqe near the municipality of Zubin Potok in northern Kosovo. Excavations began on July 28, 2026, and lasted four weeks. During work carried out in August, human remains believed to possibly belong to at least 23 people were discovered.

Three suspects are in custody as part of this investigation. They are suspected of possibly committing war crimes against the civilian population.

About 1,600 people are still considered missing as a result of the war in Kosovo. According to the Kosovo War Crimes Institute, at least 13,227 people were killed, subjected to enforced disappearance, or died as a result of the war between January 1, 1998, and December 31, 2000.