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often without warning. IDPs also told KDOM that an attack
on the area of Vranic and Bukos had commenced on 26
September. The villages of Vranic, Bukos, Savrova, Buzal,
Budakovo, Matiqeva, Papaz, Mulan and Krusica were
attacked first with artillery and then infantry backed up
by mechanised vehicles. Apparently, on 27 September the
villagers were told it was safe to return to their homes
and, as their convoy of about 240 vehicles entered
Vranic, they were stopped and attacked and their property
stolen and set on fire. Consistent with such accounts, on
28 September, EU KDOM reported thick clouds of smoke
rising from the Pagarusa area, north west of Suva Reka
and the following day, although it was denied access to
Suva Reka on the road from Prizren, team members could
see villages in the area burning. That day KDOM also
observed smoke rising from Nerodimlje and Dromnjak, to
the west of Urosevac, as well as MUP forces, consisting
of five blue police trucks and six civilian trucks full
of personnel, returning to their barracks in Urosevac
along with a military convoy of three M-47 tanks, three
T-55, two M-53/59 AD vehicles and three BMP-1 together
with some police trucks. On 30 September, EU KDOM also
observed that Serbian/FRY forces were continuing to shell
the villages of Sajtuk Mah, Krusica and Budakovo, further
to the west. Kosovar residents of Dinovce and Grejkovce,
south east of Suva Reka, informed US KDOM that their
villages had been surrounded by Serbian police and VJ
forces on 29 and 30 September. They were given an
ultimatum to hand over all of their weapons or have the
villages destroyed. Additionally, in Grejkovce money was
demanded and paid to prevent destruction by these forces. At the beginning of October, VJ units reportedly returned to and largely remained in garrison, although ordinary MUP forces maintained a strong presence on the main roads throughout Kosovo and JSO units were still in evidence in Istok. IV. SPECIFIC EVENTS ILLUSTRATIVE OF SERIOUS VIOLATIONS OF INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW Having thus traced the general course of the operations mounted by the Serbian/FRY forces, it is possible to analyse certain selected incidents as constituting violations of international humanitarian law within the jurisdiction of the International Tribunal. It must be emphasised once again, however, that these incidents are merely illustrative of the kinds of violations which have marked the conflict as a whole and should in no sense be regarded as either the most serious or the entirety of such violations. A. Factual Description (i) Operations in Senik, Sedlare, Rusinovce and Klecka at the end of August Visible preparation for the attack on Senik began on Wednesday 26 August, when local residents saw a group of Serbian/FRY armoured vehicles approaching on the main road from the direction of Malisevo, heading towards Blace38. Fearful of impending attack, many
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