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Kosovo Court Acquits Ethnic Serb Of War Crimes


A court in Kosovo has acquitted an ethnic Serb on charges of war crimes.

The court in the city of Peja on March 8 acquitted former Serb policeman Milorad Zajic of war crimes and genocide charges following suspicion of his involvement in crimes committed during the 1998-99 war.

The court also released Zajic from house arrest.

Zajic was suspected of taking part in attacks in June-July 1998 on the ethnic Albanian village of Dush, around 60 kilometers west of the capital, Pristina.

The judges said the reason for the acquittal was the "contradictory" testimonies given by witnesses.

Kosovo was a province of Serbia in 1999 when NATO launched air strikes to stop the killing and expulsion of ethnic Albanians by Serbian forces during a two-year war.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. Although 116 countries recognize Kosovo, Serbia and Russia do not.

Based on reporting by AP and Balkan Insight

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