Kosovo widens wartime mass grave search after third potential site identified

Kosovo authorities have identified a third potential mass grave site as their search for people missing from the 1998-99 war expands. Excavation work is continuing in the north of the country, in the Zubin Potok area, after remains were found at a second site. Officials say the latest development could lead to a further dig as investigators try to establish whether more victims are buried nearby.

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So far, the remains of 11 people have been uncovered, according to the information released by authorities. The Special Prosecutor's Office said it could not provide further details because the investigation is at a sensitive stage. Public prosecutors have also warned that DNA testing and identification may take months, even after remains are recovered.

The search is part of a wider effort to resolve one of the most painful legacies of the Kosovo war, which left more than 10,000 people dead and displaced more than one million others. Kosovan authorities say more than 1,600 people remain missing. Officials have said the initial excavation in Zubin Potok began last week and later expanded, with investigators believing there could be as many as 23 people buried in surrounding villages.

The discovery has renewed attention on war crimes allegations linked to the conflict between ethnic Albanians seeking independence and Serbian armed forces. Acting President Albulena Haxhiu described the second grave discovery as a grave reminder of crimes committed during the war. She said each discovered grave was a step toward the truth and evidence that the wounds of war remain open until the last missing person is found and those responsible are brought to justice.

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Haxhiu also accused Serbia of concealing the truth about the missing, intimidating witnesses and obstructing justice. She said international partners should condemn that conduct, while Kosovo would continue its search until the fate of every victim is uncovered. In a separate statement, acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti said the remains most likely belong to 23 Albanians who were abducted and executed in spring 1999.

Kosovo police have so far arrested three local men on suspicion of war crimes. What remains unclear is whether the third potential site will produce additional remains and how long the identification process will take. Authorities have not given a timeline for any new excavation, citing the sensitivity of the investigation.

The case is likely to remain politically charged because it touches on unresolved wartime disappearances, accountability and relations between Kosovo and Serbia. For now, investigators are continuing to search, while families of the missing await confirmation of identities and any further arrests.

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