EULEX arrests Kosovo Mayor for alleged war crimes during the 1999 conflict

Police have detained the mayor of Skenderaj/Srbice, Sami Lushtaku, and four other suspects for alleged war crimes against civilian prisoners during the 1999 conflict.

Officers from the EU rule-of-law mission EULEX and Kosovo police arrested the five men on Thursday on suspicion of abusing civilian prisoners held at a Kosovo Liberation Army, KLA detention centre during wartime.

“The five individuals are being investigated for war crimes against the civilian population in the form of the violation of the bodily integrity and health of civilians held in a KLA detention centre located in Likovc/Likovac (Skenderaj/Srbica municipality),” said a statement from EULEX.

“One of the individuals is also being investigated for a war crime in the form of the killing of one civilian,” the statement said.