Five people suspected of war crimes arrested in Syrigana, Skenderaj

The Special Prosecution Office arrested in the early hours of Sunday morning five Serbs suspected of the murder of six Albanian civilians, one of whom, Sadri Demiri, is still missing to this day. 

Special Prosecutor Florije Salihu-Shamolli indicated that Kosovo Serbs suspected of the criminal offense of "war crimes against the civilian population" in the village of Syriganë, Skenderaj, have been taken into custody and detention measures have been requested against them. 

"We have evidence, witness testimonies, but also other material evidence that the same people could be the perpetrators of this crime," Salihu Shamolli said in a statement to the media. 

As a result of raids at five locations in Syrigana and one location in the north of the country, various uniforms, including those of the Yugoslav army, a semi-automatic weapon, a "Zastava" type belt gun, a hunting rifle - made in the former Soviet Union, as well as magazines with dozens of cartridges, were seized.

Evidence has also been published on social networks that allegedly shows the participation of Serbian residents of Syrigana in the attack on their Albanian neighbors.
The website of the village of Syriganë has published several photographs that it says were taken at the time when Serbian forces attacked the Albanian civilian population in the village. 

also EVENING NEWS June 14, 2026 Five suspects arrested for the Racak massacre, were members of the Serbian Police

Prosecutor Salihu-Shamolli said that the police have already interviewed the family members. 

"The prosecution cooperates with all institutions to collect information. Various information has come, then I gave authorization, namely, a request for the collection of information to the police. The same have interviewed many victims - family members, and based on their testimonies they have identified the suspects and based on this we have come to the detention of these persons", said Salihu-Shamolli. 

The Office for Kosovo in the Serbian Government has reacted to the arrest of the five defendants. It has promised to pay the suspects' lawyers, while the Serbian List has reacted by saying that the suspects were taken into 48-hour detention without evidence. 

However, Prosecutor Shamolli said that the evidence collected is extensive and that it is now up to the Basic Court in Pristina to assess the fulfillment of the legal conditions for imposing the detention measure. 

According to the online version of the Book of Remembrance for Kosovo, three Albanian civilians disappeared from Syrigana in June 98 and three were killed. 

In 2020, Kosovo institutions identified the remains of two people in a yard in Syrigana, who turned out to be residents of the village. The Government Commission for Missing Persons confirmed that one of the civilians, Sadri Demiri, remains on the missing persons list.

An Albanian civilian man was killed by Serbian forces in September '98 and a woman is listed as a "war-related death" in '99, according to this registry. 

also Arberi June 14, 2026 War crimes suspects in Racak brought to court

For massacres and other war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Kosovo by Serbian and Yugoslav forces during the 1998-1999 war, the former highest political and military leaders of the remaining Yugoslavia and Serbia were tried and some were convicted at the Hague Tribunal.
Former Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic was accused of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” committed by Serbian and Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. Milosevic was also accused of “war crimes” and “crimes against humanity” committed in the wars in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia.

His trial at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), based in The Hague, had no conclusion, as Milosevic died on March 11.03.2006, XNUMX, in his cell, while being held in custody. 

Milan Milutinović, the former President of Serbia, was acquitted of charges of "war crimes during the conflict in Kosovo."

Nikola Šainović, Deputy Prime Minister of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, was sentenced to 18 years in prison for “crimes against humanity” and “violations of the laws or customs of war”.

Dragoljub Ojdanić, the former Chief of the General Staff of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for “crimes against humanity”.

Nebojša Pavković, former Commander of the Third Army of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 22 years in prison for “crimes against humanity” and “violations of the laws or customs of war”. 

Vladimir Lazarević, the former Commander of the Pristina Corps of the Yugoslav Army, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for “crimes against humanity.”

also Arberi April 14, 2026 A Serb is arrested for war crimes in Skenderaj

Sreten Lukic, the former Chief of Staff of the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs for Kosovo, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for “crimes against humanity” and “violations of the laws or customs of war.”
The head of the Secretariat of Internal Affairs of Mitrovica, which also includes the municipality of Skenderaj, during this period was Ljubinko Cvetić. On 15 August 2025, the Special Prosecution Office filed an indictment against Cvetić and 20 other individuals for war crimes against the civilian population, committed during the period January-June 1999. According to the Special Prosecution Office, the actions taken by the defendants resulted in the massive expulsion of Albanians from Kosovo.

The sectors of the Ministry of Interior or departments regularly reported to their chain of command. According to this judgment, the regular Serbian police forces, the Secretariat (SUP) and the Department of Internal Affairs and police stations were supported by reservists. In June 98, according to witness K25, who was given the confidence of the Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia, all Kosovo Serbs were counted as reservists of the Serbian forces.