Kosovo families accuse Milan Radoičić of involvement in war crimes during 1999. Survivors from Gjakova recall the brutality and demand long-overdue justice.
Families of Albanian war victims from Gjakova have revealed they long heard the name Milan Radoičić, now the main suspect in the 1999 massacre that claimed the lives of 106 civilians.
Radoičić, a former Kosovo Serb politician and businessman, is accused along with 19 others of war crimes during the Kosovo War, particularly in the region of Gjakova. Many survivors say that even before official investigations, his name had already circulated among families seeking justice.
“Since 1999, we’ve heard his name mentioned in connection with the killings,” said Luljeta Sharani, who lost her husband, two sons, and two brothers-in-law on May 10, 1999. “All the names were sent to the Prosecution years ago.”
In late April, Kosovo’s Basic Court in Pristina issued warrants for Radoičić and 19 others, a list that includes former Serbian police and military officers. They are suspected of conducting systematic operations from May 7–10, 1999, where they separated men from their families and executed them at a site known as Taliq Bridge in Gjakova.
Among the few survivors is Ngadhnim Bicurri, who was only 17 at the time. He recalls witnessing Serbian forces take away his father and two uncles, whose mutilated bodies were later found in a mass grave in Batajnica, Serbia, near Belgrade.
“I didn’t know their names at the time, but I learned them afterward,” Bicurri told Radio Free Europe. “My father’s body was returned in pieces. I buried him without a head.”
Both Bicurri and Sharani say they never saw Radoičić in person but heard his name in connection to torture, forced expulsions, and killings.
Who Is Accused?
According to the Kosovo Prosecution, the accused include:
Milovan Kovačević, Radomir Čolić, Miloš Gjošan, Predrag Ristić, Srđan Krstić, Ljubiša Obradović, Živko Sarić, Spaso Sarić, Lazar Drašković, Zvonko Ristić, Darko Gligorijević, Čedomir Božović, Vladimir Božović, Robert Dobrunaj, Radomir Raković, Ljubiša Raković, Miloš Šćepanović, Milan Radoičić, Svetislav Gligorijević, and Tomica Avramović.
They are charged with multiple offenses under the Kosovo Penal Code, including torture, mass execution, illegal imprisonment of more than 300 civilians, and inhumane treatment in makeshift prisons. If convicted, they face sentences ranging from five years to life imprisonment.
Delayed but Demanded Justice
The Humanitarian Law Center in Kosovo, through its director Bekim Blakaj, criticized the delayed timing of the arrest warrants, saying they give suspects an opportunity to avoid prosecution.
“We’ve known for years that Radoičić was active in Kosovo and even in Pristina. He could’ve been arrested,” said Blakaj. “Why was the case not investigated earlier?”
Radoičić is already wanted for orchestrating an armed attack in Banjska, Zvečan in September 2023, where a Kosovo police officer was killed. He later claimed responsibility.
Hopes and Healing
Despite the decades-long wait, families of victims remain hopeful.
“It’s better late than never,” Bicurri said with quiet resolve. “All we want is justice.”
For Sharani, justice is the only solace left.
“The Prosecution remembered too late what needed to be done,” she said. “Our only comfort now is accountability.”
