Kosovo police on Friday said they had arrested an ethnic Serb, named as G.M, who is suspected of having committed war crimes during the Kosovo war.

He is suspected of participating in the Dubrava prison massacre in May 1999 in Peja/Pec in May 1999 when it is estimated that from 90 to 130 prisoners were killed by Serbian security forces while around 200 others were injured.

“The Kosovo Police, on 01.12.2022, accompanied the Kosovo Serb male suspect, G. M. (1958) to the Police for interview and further proceedings,” the police said.

The announcement said the suspect was interviewed in the presence of his lawyer on suspicion of having committed “war crimes against the civilian population”. The prosecution ordered the suspect to remain in custody for 48 hours.

The War Crimes Investigation Unit of the Kosovo police has cooperated with the Special Prosecution to conduct investigations related to war crimes committed the 1998-99 Kosovo war. During the investigations, it received information on G.M.

NATO first bombed the jail, killing several prisoners, as part of its air strikes on Serbian forces aimed at ending the Kosovo conflict. A few days later, Serbian security personnel assembled hundreds of inmates in the yard of the jail and opened fire on them.

During the Kosovo war, more than 13,000 civilians were killed and thousands more disappeared. Over 1,600 people are still missing.

Kosovo declared its independence in 2008 but Serbia still does not recognize its sovereignty.