The discovery of a suspected mass grave in Zubin Potok has reignited hopes of uncovering the fate of people who disappeared during the 1998–1999 Kosovo war, while reopening decades-old wounds for families still searching for their loved ones.
Lutfije Ademi Vokshi, the sister of missing surgeon Adem Ademi, said she is convinced that the remains believed to have been found at the site belong to the group of intellectuals from Mitrovica who disappeared during the war.
“For two and a half decades, we have lived in anxiety and uncertainty, waiting. Based on the location of the excavation and the circumstances of what happened, I have no doubt. I am 100 percent convinced they are there. Even though there has been no official confirmation, as a family member I firmly believe they are there,” she said in an interview with Klan Kosova.
Vokshi described her brother as a dedicated surgeon who remained committed to treating patients throughout the conflict while also serving his country.
“I believe it because they entered that mountain. I am the doctor’s sister and I live in Pristina. In the final period before the NATO bombing campaign, we could not meet often because of the circumstances, but we spoke frequently by telephone,” she recalled.
She said Adem Ademi served in the Shala e Bajgorës region as a surgeon and head of the Surgery Department, while also serving with the 144th Brigade.
“Even while the fighting continued, he kept working both at the hospital and in Shala e Bajgorës on his assigned days. Later, after the repressive measures were introduced, he was removed from the operating room because he was considered unsuitable. The real reason was that patients specifically requested him to perform their operations.”
According to Vokshi, her brother’s compassion left a lasting impression on those he treated.
“I have met many of his former patients. They told me he was a doctor who healed people not only through surgery but also through his words,” she said.
Kosovo authorities are continuing forensic examinations at the suspected mass grave site in Zubin Potok. Officials have cautioned that the identities of the victims cannot be confirmed until exhumation, forensic analysis, and DNA identification procedures are completed.
The suspected site is believed to be linked to a group of intellectuals from Mitrovica who disappeared during the Kosovo war, although authorities have stressed that official confirmation will depend on the outcome of the ongoing investigation.
