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Former Kosovo president Thaci sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes

By Thomson Reuters Sep 16, 2026 | 4:31 AM

THE HAGUE, Sept 16 (Reuters) – Former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci ​was found ‌guilty of war crimes by the Kosovo war crimes tribunal on ‌Wednesday.

Thaci, ​58, was ⁠convicted to 25 ⁠years in prison for crimes including murder, torture and illegal ​detention committed as top commander ⁠of the ⁠ethnic Albanian Kosovo ​Liberation Army (KLA) during the ​territory’s violent break from ‌Serbia in the 1990s.

The tribunal said he was guilty ⁠of the murder of 96 political opponents and perceived ⁠collaborators ‌with Serbian ⁠security forces by ​Kosovo ‌Liberation Army forces ​during the ⁠conflict.

Thaci had denied all charges.

(Reporting by Stephanie van den Berg, editing by Bart ​Meijer)