Kosovo Probes Killing of Guerrilla Commander and Family

Drita Hajdari told BIRN on Thursday that Kosovo's Special Prosecution Office has opened a preliminary investigation into Serbian police special forces' attack on the Jashari family compound in Prekaz from March 5-7, 1998, in which guerrilla commander Adem Jashari and 58 of his relatives were killed.

Hajdari said the investigation was launched last year. "We are gathering evidence," she explained.

"I verified whether the case has been opened by [the EU's rule-of-law mission in Kosovo] EULEX, [the UN's Kosovo mission] UNMIK or the Hague Tribunal, and after realising that there is no open case I decided to open an investigation," she added.

Thursday marked the 22nd anniversary of the beginning of the attack on the Jashari family compound, an incident that is often identified as the beginning of the Kosovo war.

Jashari, one of the founders of the Kosovo Liberation Army, was convicted in absentia of terrorism by a Yugoslav court in 1997. He is seen by Kosovo Albanians as a hero in their struggle for independence.

Kosovo Security Force troops paraded at a commemorative ceremony in Pristina on Thursday to mark the anniversary of the attack.

The ceremony was preceded by a commemorative session of the Kosovo Assembly, which was attended by surviving relatives of Jashari.

Commemorative events are to continue on Friday and Saturday, culminating in the so-called 'night of fires' in Prekaz, where torches will be lit to remember Jashari.