Transcript NATO in Kosovo

Standard Grade Modern Studies – Europe
NATO in Kosovo
NATO in action - Kosovo
 Kosovo lies in Southern Serbia
and has a mixed population of
which the majority are ethnic
Albanians.
 Until 1989, the region enjoyed a
high degree of autonomy within
the former Yugoslavia.
 In 1989 Serbian leader
Slobodan Milsoveic altered the
status of the region, removing
its autonomy and bringing it
under the direct control of
Belgrade, the Serbian capital.
Kosovo and the Balkans
NATO in action - Kosovo
 The Kosovo Albanians strenuously
opposed the move and as a result
formed an armed resistance
group titled the Kosovan
Liberation Army.
 President Milosevic launched a
campaign to destroy the KLA, and
to drive ethnic Albanians from
their homes.
 Part of the problem is religious
with a conflict between Kosovo
Albanian Moslems and Serbian
Slav Christians.
Kosovo – problems
 The consequence of this
fighting was over 600,000
people becoming refugees.
 A further 270,000 people being
displaced with Kosovo.
 It was due to these
circumstances that NATO
became involved.
 On the 24th March 1999 NATO
launched their first attack on
Serbia and Kosovo.
NATO actions in Kosovo
• NATO carried out high and low level bombing
missions which hit targets including the TV
station in Belgrade – but also convoys of
refugees by accident.
• NATO imposed an oil embargo.
• NATO worked on producing an international
peace plan.
• On June 9th NATO stopped bombing as the
Serb Generals signed terms to withdraw from
Kosovo and on June 10th, alliance ground
forces – KFOR – were authorised to move into
Kosovo.
• Since then NATO has acted as peacekeepers
and have been involved in clearing mines.
NATO - KFOR troops
• At its full strength, KFOR comprised
of 50,000 personnel.
• By 2004 KFOR had just under
20,000 troops, provided by all 19
NATO members and 20 non-NATO
countries.
• This force forms the largest NATOled operation in the world.
• Despite this reduction in manpower,
NATO has confirmed that KFOR
troops will be staying in Kosovo in
the foreseeable future to ensure
peace in this area.
Actions taken by KFOR troops
 Provided humanitarian aid to help the
thousands of refugees.
 Built refugee camps and helped to
develop feeding stations.
 In Albania, NATO deployed forces to
provide similar assistance to
refugees.
 Acted as a peacekeeping force to
ensure that no group was break the
conditions of the peace plan.
 Detected and destroyed land mines.
 Collected and destroyed ammunition
from armed groups.
How successful has NATO been in Kosovo?
 Air power did achieve its aims but
did not knock out as much Serb
weaponry as first thought.
 It was probably only the threat of
invasion by UK ground forces that
forced Milosevic to back down.
 Kosovo is now almost all ethnic
Albanian.
 Many Serbs fled Kosovo when the
Kosovo Albanians were allowed to
return.
 The Serbs feared revenge attacks
and claimed that NATO would
not/could protect them.
Trial on Milosevic
 On the 12 February 2002 a trial at
the Hague court began accusing
Milosevic of war crimes in Kosovo.
 During a length trial Milosevic was
accused of the genocide of
thousands of Kosovan Albanians.
 On March 11th 2006 Milosevic was
found dead in his cell – he died of a
heart attack.
 In June 2006 the Supreme Court
of Serbia decided that Milosevic
had ordered the murders of
political opponents.