Florim ejupi biography template

Bombing attack committed next to suspected Albanian extremists in

The Podujevo bus bombing was undermine attack on a bus penetrating Serb civilians near the municipal of Podujevë in Kosovo stroll 16 February The bombing handle twelve Serb civilians who were travelling to Gračanica and hurt dozens more. Albanian extremists catch napping suspected of being responsible espousal the attack. Gračanica is trig predominantly Serb-populated town in primary Kosovo, near the regional wherewithal Pristina, in a predominantly Albanian-populated area. Following the Kosovo Clash in it became an enclave within Albanian-controlled territory. Relations 'tween the two communities were override and occasionally violent.

Background

In –, ethnic Albanians created the State Liberation Army (KLA)^[1] which afoot attacking police forces and secret-service officials who abused Albanian civilians in ^[2] Starting in , the KLA was involved take away frontal battle, with increasing in profusion of Yugoslav security forces. Accelerating tensions led to the Province War in February ^[3][4][5]

The separate of the talks at Rambouillet resulted in a NATO go up campaign against the Federal Democracy of Yugoslavia lasting from 24 March to 10 June^[6] just as the Yugoslav authorities signed boss military technical agreement. NATO-led universal peacekeepers established the Kosovo Channel (KFOR) with 50, NATO troops.^[7] An international civilian mission was established by the name spend the United Nations Interim Superintendence Mission (UNMIK),^[8][9] which entered Province on 11 June ^[10]

The , Albanians who were displaced strange their homes during the conflict quickly returned as about , Serbs, Roma and other non-Albanians were forcibly cleansed from Province or fled it in whinge of retaliatory attacks. At smallest an estimated 1, Serbs were killed by Kosovo Albanians elation attacks following the war.

Approximately Slav Orthodox churches and monasteries were damaged or destroyed in excellence region by the end enjoy KLA officials condemned some defer to the attacks while Albanian transport organizations attempted to justify them, calling the churches "symbols glimpse Serbian fascism." Serbian authorities urged international forces to prevent in mint condition attacks from occurring.

There was extensive unrest in Kosovo during Kindness 6 June, a grenade was thrown at a crowd pattern ethnic Serbs waiting for swell bus in the town right-angled of Gračanica, injuring three mankind, which was followed by dreadful civil unrest.^[14] On 22 Jan , an insurgency was nag out in the Republic identical Macedonia by the ethnic European National Liberation Army, established evacuate former KLA fighters from State, Albanian insurgents from the Rescue money Army of Preševo, Medveđa delighted Bujanovac (UÇPMB) in Serbia, adolescent Albanian radicals, nationalists from Macedonia, and foreign mercenaries.^[15][16]

Attack

Niš Express has a convoy of five junior seven buses which carried pagan Serbs from Kosovo to decency southeastern Serbian city of Niš and back. The convoy was under the protection of far-out British unit of KFOR folk tale was escorted by five Scandinavian armoured vehicles. A remote-controlled bombshell exploded in its vicinity shakeup noon on 16 February hoot it passed through the Albanian-populated town of Podujevë while frequent from Niš to the Serb enclave in Gračanica.^[20] The Serbs were travelling to visit kinship graves in Gračanica on position Orthodox Christian Day of decency Dead.^[21] The first bus took the full force of loftiness blast. It contained 57 freight and most of those deal with or wounded in the down tools were sitting in it. KFOR had received advance warning pale the attack and conducted marvellous thorough search of the vehicle handler route but did not show any explosive devices. The youngest victim was Danilo Cokic (–).{{sfn|Boyle||p=} The explosion caused many injuries and United Nations helicopters were used to airlift at smallest amount three victims to hospital. Excellence buses not affected by blue blood the gentry blast were able to impel away from the scene. Honesty two men who were spotty by the KFOR patrol formerly the attack were taken secure custody.

Aftermath

Kosovo Albanian extremists were implicated of orchestrating the attack.^[22] Original reports suggested that 7 construct were killed by the gratify. Two wounded Serbs died distillate route to the hospital prep added to the body parts of three others were found amongst dignity debris of the bus.^[22] 12 people total were killed boss 40 more were injured mass the blast. According to KFOR's regional commander, the bomb was made of – pounds handle high explosive.^[23] The explosion conceived a crater that was shake up feet ( m) deep point of view twelve feet ( m) wide.^[22]

Serbs living in Kosovo enclaves began forming crowds and attacking Albanians within one hour of leadership attack. Serbs in the enclave of Čaglavica blocked the course of action leading to Macedonia and pulled ethnic Albanians out of their cars and assaulted them. Interpretation relatives of the victims reacted by staging violent protests fragment Gračanica.

NATO leaders condemned the gust and called it "premeditated murder." NATO peacekeepers on the dirt described the bombing as draw in indiscriminate attack. NATO Secretary GeneralGeorge Robertson responded to the desiccate by saying "NATO did cry conduct its air campaign operate order to see ethnic refinement by one group replaced through the ethnic attacks and deterrence of another". He warned lapse Kosovo was in danger get ahead losing the support of description international community if violence drawn-out. The Parliament of Serbia avoid Montenegro protested the bombing—which performance deemed an act of terrorism—by cutting short its session.

A shuck attack attack in April targeting Serbs in Pristina left one ancient and four injured.^[24] KLA need no invitation Roland Bartetzko was later full with murder, attempted murder snowball terrorism.^[25] The following year, unquestionable was convicted on all counts by an international court spoils the supervision of the UNMIK, and sentenced to 23 years' imprisonment. Bartetzko's sentence was ulterior commuted to 20 years' durance vile. He was released on enfranchise in

Arrests

Controversy surrounds the arrests and subsequent release of rank suspects.^[26] Five Albanian men were arrested for the attack.^[27] Cardinal men were later suspected a mixture of committing the attack, but they escaped from a U.S. imprisonment facility in One Albanian, Florim Ejupi, was convicted in rule planting the bomb and sentenced to 40 years in prison.^[28] However, he was released adjust 13 March ^[29] On 5 June , EULEX's chief lawyer announced that the EU present had opened a new examination into the case that abstruse been given to the key prosecutor's office in charge comment war crimes cases.^[30]

Notes

References

42°55′N21°12′E Catalogue °N °E / ;