Ethnic Albanians continued to have their rights eroded, making them second class citizens in a chilling parallel to Nazi Germany.
Following the killing of 4 Serb policemen by the KLA near the village of Racak, the Serbs attacked and shelled the village on 15th January 1999. The civilian population were later rounded up and 45 people were executed by firing squad. Continuing massacres helped to galvanise the international community into action. When efforts to find peace were rejected by Milosovic, NATO responded with air strikes.
Ethnic cleansing of Kosovan Albanians continued and there were counter attacks on the Serbian population. 750,000 Albanians fled from the fighting and were scattered throughout the world. Most were unwilling to return to their homes even after the war under the supervision of NATO. Kosovo
In May 1999, with NATO bombing continuing, Milosovic became the first serving head of state to be indicted for war crimes. He was held responsible for the murder of 600 personally identified ethnic Albanians and faced 6 charges of crimes against humanity including massacres in Srbica and Velika Krusa which involved the systematic slaughter of men in the communities.
On 10th June Milosovic ordered his troops to withdraw, leaving the country battered and shocked by the ethnic violence. Later that year a massive body of evidence was put together by the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, which detailed accounts of rape, mutilation and murder.
Both Serbs and ethnic Albanians had fallen victim under the hand of the other.
