US Again Urges Serbia to Probe Albanian-Americans’ Killings

The US embassy in Belgrade on Thursday said that Washington "cannot and will not forget" the killings of Ylli, Agron, and Mehmet Bytyqi, three US citizens of Albanian origin, on July 9, 1999, and urged a "full investigation".

"Delivering justice for the Bytyqi brothers and their family and holding accountable those who committed and covered up their murders remains a priority in our bilateral relationship with Serbia," the US embassy said in a statement.

"The United States government again calls on Serbian authorities, who have promised to assist in this case over years, for a full investigation. This case, and many others, illustrate the urgent need for Serbia to resolve outstanding war crimes investigations and focus on strengthening the rule of law," it added.

The Bytyqi brothers went to fight for the Kosovo Liberation Army against Belgrade's forces in 1999.

After the war ended, they were arrested by Serbian police and jailed for illegal border crossing, but then re-arrested as they were leaving prison and detained in a warehouse at a police training centre in Petrovo Selo in southern Serbia.

They were then driven to a garbage disposal pit, where they were executed with shots to the back of the neck.

At the time of the murders, Goran Radosavljevic, alias Guri, was commander of a special police unit and of the Petrovo Selo training centre. The Bytyqi family believe he is the main suspect in the case and the US has imposed sanctions on him over the killings.

Radosavljevic, who now runs several security companies in Belgrade, was briefly investigated over the killings by the Serbian prosecution, but never indicted. He has denied any involvement.

On June 30, at a celebration of Gendarmerie Day, Dejan Lukovic,...

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