Kosovo begins excavating suspected mass grave

Kosovar authorities have commenced excavation at a site believed to be a mass grave from the war between Kosovo and Belgrade. Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced on Thursday that the grave likely holds the remains of 23 intellectuals from Mitrovica, who were abducted and disappeared on April 19, 1999. These individuals included doctors, professors, and human rights activists.

The discovery comes amid efforts to account for those missing from the 1998-1999 conflict, which claimed approximately 13,000 lives and left over 4,000 people unaccounted for. While several mass graves have been uncovered and thousands of remains identified in past decades, around 1,600 individuals remain missing.

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This grave is believed to contain the long-hidden remains of a group of 23 intellectuals from Mitrovica - doctors, professors, and human rights activists, who were abducted and disappeared on April 19, 1999.

Officials confirmed finding human remains earlier this week, but the site has not yet been officially declared a wartime mass grave. Chief Special Prosecutor Blerim Isufaj urged patience, explaining that the identification process requires time and adherence to strict protocols for exhumation and DNA analysis. He noted that simply retrieving the remains is not sufficient; each body must be handled with precise procedures.

Adding complexity to the investigation, police have detained two Serbs in connection with the case. The slow progress in locating missing persons is further complicated by strained relations between Pristina and Belgrade, as Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's independence. Despite an agreement earlier this year to form a joint commission for searching for the war-missing, tangible results have yet to materialize.

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The identification requires time and procedures must be followed for the recovery and subsequent identification of the body through DNA analysis.