Today marks the 26th anniversary of the horrific massacre in Pastasel, Rahovec, where Serbian forces killed and massacred 106 civilians from this village and surrounding areas. This brutal act remains one of the most heinous crimes of the Kosovo War.
On the afternoon of March 31, 1999, Serbian military, paramilitary, and police forces surrounded the village of Pastasel, which had become a refuge for many displaced people from nearby villages. After bombarding the village with grenades for about an hour, the Serbian forces gathered the residents in an open field and separated the men from the women. The women were ordered to leave, while 106 men and boys were brutally executed. The victims’ bodies were then mutilated and burned in an attempt to cover up the crime.
Despite the passage of more than two decades, many families are still searching for the remains of their loved ones, who are still listed as missing.
Only 13 people survived the massacre, bearing witness to the horrors of that day. However, to this day, no one from the Serbian forces has been held accountable for this war crime, leaving justice still unfulfilled for the victims and their families.
The Pastasel Massacre remains a painful reminder of the Kosovo War and an ongoing call for international justice.
