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Former Kosovo Rebel Commander Cleared Of War Crimes

September 17, 2013

A former ethnic Albanian rebel commander turned politician has been acquitted of war crimes during the 1998-99 Kosovo conflict.

Fatmir Limaj, a former senior commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UCK), is a close ally of Prime Minister Hashim Thaci, himself also a former UCK commander.

Limaj stood accused of killing and torturing Serbian prisoners at a UCK-run detention camp.

The charges were based mainly on diaries and testimony of a former prison guard who became the main witness in the case before he was found dead in Germany.

An EU-led court in Pristina on September 17 ruled that although Serbian civilians had been killed at the camp, the prosecution had failed to establish a link with Limaj and his nine co-accused.

It was the third time Limaj has been acquitted of war crimes charges.

Based on reporting by Reuters and AFP

Source: http://www.rferl.org/content/kosovo-limaj-cleared-war-crimes/25109365.html

Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.