Mass Exodus of Kosovars to Albania Amid reports of systematic ethnic cleansing and human rights abuses, over 20,000 Kosovars have fled to Albania in the past three days, with many fleeing from the second-largest city, Prizren, which is being deliberately

Strategic Insights -

Tens of thousands of ethnic Albanians have been displaced from their homes, with many reports of families being torn apart as Serb forces hunt down and arrest young men, doctors, teachers, and lawyers. The refugees describe scenes of unimaginable horror, with reports of murders, forced labor, and human shields being used by the Yugoslav army. The situation is further complicated by the deliberate targeting of food supplies, with bakeries refusing to sell bread to ethnic Albanians and stocks of food quickly dwindling.

Key Takeaways:

  • Over 20,000 Kosovars have fled to Albania in the past three days, with many reporting scenes of unimaginable horror and human rights abuses.
  • Prizren, Kosovo's second-largest city, is being deliberately emptied and turned into a military zone, with many young men, doctors, teachers, and lawyers being arrested and taken away.
  • Refugees describe scenes of forced labor, human shields, and murder, with many refugees witnessing family members and friends being taken away and never seen again.
  • Serb forces are using food as a weapon against the ethnic Albanian population, with bakeries refusing to sell bread and stocks of food rapidly dwindling.
  • Many refugees are giving consistent reports of slave-labor tactics, with ethnic-Albanian men being forced to donate blood and wear Yugoslav military uniforms.
  • Refugees report seeing ethnic-Albanian friends and relatives being forced to dig holes and trenches for the army, with many believing these will be used as defensive positions.
  • The situation is further complicated by the systematic targeting of intellectuals, with many refugees reporting that doctors, teachers, and lawyers are being hunted down and arrested.
  • Merita Sefaj, 23, reports seeing an ethnic-Albanian lawyer in a Yugoslav uniform being forced to dig a hole for the soldiers.
  • Ardian, 28, reports seeing two young ethnic-Albanian men in military uniforms being watched over by Yugoslav soldiers as the refugees walked towards the border.
  • Staffan de Mistura, special envoy for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, warns that Prizren could become a sort of militarized city, with 70 percent of the population being forced to flee.
  • Refugees report witnessing murders by Serb forces as late as yesterday morning, with some families being torn apart and separated from each other.
  • Angela Walker, spokeswoman for the World Food Program, says that the latest arrests of intellectuals are a serious worry, with many intellectuals being killed in the past.

Statistics:

  • Over 20,000 Kosovars have fled to Albania in the past three days.
  • 15,000 ethnic Albanians have been displaced from their homes in the past two weeks.
  • 60-70 percent of the population of Prizren is believed to have been forced to flee.
  • 90 tonnes of food are being distributed daily to refugees in northern Albania.
  • 47 civilians were killed in a NATO missile strike on a bus in Kosovo.

Sources:

  • [AP news report]
  • [Reuters news report]
  • [UNHCR press release]