June 12 marks the 27th anniversary of the liberation of Kosovo, one of the most important dates in the country’s modern history. On June 12, 1999, NATO peacekeeping troops entered Kosovo, ending the war and paving the way for the return of hundreds of thousands of Albanians driven from their homes.
The entry of NATO forces came after the end of the 78-day aerial bombardment campaign against Serbian military and police targets in Kosovo and Serbia. The attacks started on March 24, 1999 and ended on June 10, with the aim of stopping the campaign of ethnic cleansing against Kosovo Albanians. During the military operation, the planes of the 13 NATO member countries made 38,400 flights, while 10,484 of them were bombarded. According to official data, a total of 26,614 missiles were fired at Serbian targets during the campaign.
As the bombing intensified, Serbian military and paramilitary forces waged a fierce campaign against the Albanian civilian population. Over 10 thousand Albanians were killed, while many of them were buried in mass cemeteries. In the first weeks of the NATO intervention, about half a million Albanians were forced to leave Kosovo, creating a humanitarian crisis that particularly affected Albania and North Macedonia.
On June 1, 1999, Belgrade accepted the principles of the G-8 group of countries. After that, NATO suspended airstrikes on June 10. That same day, after confirming the withdrawal of Serbian forces according to the peace plan, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1244, which created the basis for the international administration of Kosovo and the establishment of an international military and civilian presence.
The end of the bombing and the signing of the Kumanovo Agreement forced the Serbian forces to withdraw from Kosovo. This paved the way for the return to their homeland of more than one million Kosovo Albanians, who had moved to different countries in the region and the world during the war. In the 27 years that followed, Kosovo has continued to be supported by the NATO peacekeeping mission, while nearly 500 thousand members of these forces from different countries have served in international security missions in the country. Their contribution is considered crucial for maintaining peace, stability and security in Kosovo.
