The discovery of human remains believed to belong to 23 people in Zubin Potok has renewed pressure on Serbia to provide information about those still missing from the Kosovo war.
The remains were discovered during excavations in Kalludër and Jabukë, as Kosovo authorities continue searches at other locations linked to the conflict.
Acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti has called on the international community to increase pressure on Belgrade to open relevant military and state archives, saying they could provide crucial information about the fate and whereabouts of missing people.
The call has also received support from international representatives in Kosovo. The US embassy said every family deserves answers about missing relatives, while Germany referred to the 2023 commitment by Kosovo and Serbia to provide access to relevant documentation concerning missing persons and suspected mass graves. Britain has likewise expressed support for the families and welcomed the discovery in Zubin Potok.
Kosovo’s Government Commission on Missing Persons says around 19 to 20 locations have been identified for assessment and possible excavation during 2026, with court orders obtained for searches at several sites.
For families, however, the search is about more than recovering remains. They want to know what happened to their loved ones and where they were taken.
More than 1,600 people remain officially listed as missing from the Kosovo war.
Decades later, the question remains painfully simple: where are the missing, and what is Serbia still withholding?
