Report on the Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law in Kosovo

damaged and deserted and the town of Decane, in the west, was also becoming increasingly destroyed. On 31 July, US KDOM noted that the killing of livestock by MUP forces was widespread, from Lapusnik, to Malisevo and Blace and, between Iglarevo and Lapusnik, there was also much damage to property in evidence. The area appeared to have been largely deserted, many buildings having burnt to the ground. Between Komorane and Orahovac burnt fields and unharvested crops marked the landscape, and there was quite some considerable damage to buildings and to the road, the latter seeming to have been recently caused by heavy tracked vehicles.

EU KDOM noted that, at the northern edge of Orahovac, the VJ and the MUP were apparently co-ordinating their activities and the destruction of the town appeared to be the result of damage and looting after fighting had taken place, rather than as a result of it. While some internally displaced persons (IDPs) were returning to Orahovac, male returnees had been told they must register with the security forces. In addition, locals reported that male IDPs had been taken by the MUP forces for use as labour and some of the residents of Banja claimed to have seen such men working for the MUP in Malisevo. It seems that the Serbian authorities had also air-dropped leaflets in the Banja area, urging IDPs to return home.

Both EU and US KDOM teams found it extremely difficult to exercise their functions at the beginning of August due to the denial of access to many parts of the Drenica area by the Serbian/FRY forces. Other international organisations were similarly denied free movement around Malisevo and Suva Reka. Nonetheless, it was clear that there had been a large-scale exodus of the Kosovar population from Drenica, some towards Prizren in the south, and others towards Kosovska Mitrovica, to the north. In addition, EU KDOM noted that the VJ was clearly being used within Kosovo instead of just in the border areas and it observed VJ troops looting property, as well as VJ tanks and equipment being used in support of police actions.

On 4 August, the Serbian authorities claimed to have "neutralised" heavily armed groups of Kosovars in Lausa and stated that the MUP were now in control of this entire region. However, towards the middle of August, the road between Glogovac and Srbica was in contention between the UCK and Serbian/FRY forces and towns and villages from Komorane to Srbica were clearly deserted. Smoke could also be observed coming from the Krnjice area, north east of Klina, as well as south of Klina and Kijevo. KDOM observed that many towns and villages from the area west of Kijevo, through Lapusnik, Malisevo and Stimlje had been badly damaged and that from Lapusnik to Dulje buildings continued to burn. MUP forces were observed occupying many houses and other buildings in these villages, as well as setting them on fire. In the view of EU KDOM, the village of Drenovac, on the Pristina to Pec road, had been intentionally destroyed and also the nearby village of Zaimovo, to a lesser degree. The village of Lausa, near Srbica, had clearly also been very badly destroyed. Between Malisevo, Orahovac and Blace, MUP forces dominated, Blace itself being occupied by the Serbian forces. However, the area in the vicinity of Crnoljevo appeared still to be in contention.

Between Rudnik and the vicinity of Durakovac, to the north and east of Pec, a strong MUP presence was also observed, including members standing beside some burning crops and engaged in the searching of houses. EU KDOM reported action by Serbian security forces