June 12 marks the 21st anniversary of the withdrawal of Serbian military forces from Kosovo, ending the Serbian occupation.
The Serbian military was brought to surrender by the Kosovo Liberation Army’s fight on land and NATO bombardings. The capitulation was signed on June 9, 1999, in Kumanova, by KFOR commander Michael Jackson, and Yugoslav Army commander Nebojsa Pavkovic, who was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) for crimes against humanity and war crimes during the Kosovo War. NATO air operations, which had lasted for 78 days, were halted on June 10.
Among other things, the treaty foresaw all Former Yugoslav Republic (FRY) military personnel withdraw from Kosovo and the establishment of a 25 km air safety zone and 5 km ground safety zone around Kosovo’s boundaries wherein FRY forces could not enter without UN permission.
The United Nations Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) administered the country until its declaration of independence on February 17, 2008.
