General information
First Active Year: 1998
Current Name: UCK
Current Name full English: Kosovo Liberation Army
Current Name full native language: Ushtria çlirimtare ë kosovës
Original Name: UCK
Original Name full English: Kosovo Liberation Army
Original Name full native language: Ushtria çlirimtare ë kosovës
Actor Chronology
This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.
UCDP has not recorded any Chronology Activities involving this group.
Conflict issues
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - UCK
Conflict Goal Issues: Ushtria Clirimtare e Kosovës (UCK), Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), was a Kosovar Albanian nationalist rebel group fighting against the government of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia to achieve independence for the Serbian region of Kosovo. Whilst the movement that would later be formed into UCK began operating from the early 1990’s, the official establishment and emergence of the group came in 1997, emerging as a more aggressive alternative to the already existing more pacifist Republic of Kosovo. UCK was characterized by a large part of its members being Kosovar Albanian, and the group claimed to represent the Albanian population of Serbia. During the year of its establishment, UCK pronounced one conflict goal issue, calling for the recognition and granting of independence of the Serbian Kosovo region.
As the conflict progressed, UCK reemphasized its calls for Kosovar independence, but also introduced several new issues. The group called for the establishment of democracy in Kosovo, stating that the group “will continue the struggle for freedom, independence, and democracy.”, called for the ousting of Slobodan Milosevic and his government, and called for a restructuring of the military and police forces. The group also called for a referendum to be held to determine the status of the Kosovo region and for the ousting of Ibrahim Rugova, the leader of the Republic of Kosovo.
The main conflict goal issue of UCK was the establishment of an independent and democratic Kosovo region. The issues of independence and democracy were the most heavily emphasized conflict goal issues of the group. The ousting of Slobodan Milosevic and the restructuring of the Serbian military forces were stated with similar continuity, although they were not as heavily emphasized as UCK’s main issues.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Whilst UCK were not interpreted as stating any conflict dynamics issues during its first year of existence, the group released statements pertaining to several conflict dynamics issues during the following years. The group accused the government of conducting ethnic cleansing operations against Kosovar Albanians and called upon the U.S. and NATO to carry out a military intervention to protect the people of Kosovo. The group also called for the withdrawal of international financial support to the Serbian government, Serb forces from the Kosovo region, and sanctions, specifically an arms embargo which restricted the UCK’s ability to procure armaments. The group also called upon the international community to assist UCK with military support, international pressure to influence Milosevic’s government to cease attacks on Kosovo, assist in mediations through supplying a third-party mediator, and conducting international court investigations into the conduct of the Serbian military. The group also called for military support from the international community and for Kosovar Albanian diaspora to assist in the fighting. Finally, the group also called for prisoners that had been detained by the government to be released and for refugees to be returned to Kosovo.
The main conflict dynamics issues of UCK were the allegations of ethnically motivated atrocities carried out against Albanian civilians, calls for NATO intervention in Serbia, and the withdrawal of Serbian forces from Kosovo. These issues were the most heavily emphasized issues raised by the group.
Conflict Resolution Issues: In 1997, UCK stated one conflict resolution issue, stating its opposition to negotiations with the Serbian government. In the following years, the group called for accountability for perpetrators of atrocities and human rights abuses, stated its opposition to an agreed upon peace agreement between NATO and Milosevic that ended the conflict, stating that UCK had been left out of negotiations of the agreement. In 1998 and 1999, UCK also amended their position on negotiations, instead calling for them to be held with the Serbian government under the condition that they were held under international mediation. The group also called for a ceasefire to be implemented and for compensation to be paid out to civilians affected by the fighting on singular instances.
The main conflict goal issues of UCK were the holding of negotiations with the government and the structure of those negotiations. These issues were continuously raised toward the latter stages of the conflict and were central to the group as evidenced by UCK’s reaction when the group was left out of negotiations which resulted in the peace agreement between NATO and Milosevic.
Type of conflict issues: Conflict Goal Issues: CPS: Democracy, Independence, Oust full executive, Oust head of the executive, Oust local executive, Referendum, Restructure military forces, Restructure police forces
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Atrocities and abuses, Collective targeting: ethnic, DFI: Withdrawal of financial support, DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces, DFI: Withdrawal of sanctions, IFI: Foreign mediator, IFI: International court/tribunal/investigation, IFI: International monitoring, IFI: Military intervention/foreign forces, IFI: Military support, IFI: Support from diasporas/foreign fighters, IFI: Use of foreign influence, Military conduct, Release of prisoners, Return of refugees/IDPs
Conflict Resolution Issues: Accountability/prosecution/investigation, Call for ceasefire, Call for negotiations, Compensation/restoration, Opposition to negotiations, Opposition to peace agreement, Structure of negotiations
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1998
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - UCK
1999
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - UCK
Group Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1998 Group Archive
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - UCK
Comment on Name: Ushtria Clirimtare ë Kosovës (UCK), Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)
Comment on Active: Parallel with the UCK, Ibrahim Rugova and his supporters were conducting a peaceful separatist campaign against the Yugoslavian government. Rugova was elected President of Kosovo and competed for influence with the UCK.
Troop Size: 500 - 10 000
Comment on Troop Size: In the beginning of the year, the UCK had a strength of around 500 active members. Throughout the year, the force grew rapidly to include between 5000 - 10 000 men.
Secondary Support: Cross-border infiltrations of troops and supplies of armaments from Albania took place without the interference of the Albanian government. According to Serbian accounts, the UCK was also allowed to use training camps in Albania.Furthermore, Albania offered political support to UCK and Thaçi. The Albanian diaspora, both in Western countries and in Macedonia, supported the UCK, mainly financially, but also with volunteers to join the militant group.
1999 Group Archive
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - UCK
Comment on Name: Ushtria Clirimtare ë Kosovës (UCK), Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)
Comment on Active: The UCK received substantial assistance from the NATO alliance. Parallell with the UCK, Ibrahim Rugova and his supporters was conducting a peaceful separatist campaign against the Yugoslavian government. Rugova had been elected President of Kosovo and competed for influence with the UCK.
Troop Size: 8000 - 20 000
Comment on Troop Size: The UCK recruits grew rapidly throughout the year, particularly after NATO began its bombing campaign. As of early May, it was estimated that the UCK had around 8000 fighters. By the end of that month, the figure had risen to an estimated 15 000 - 20 000 (including troops in Albania).
Secondary Support: Cross-border infiltrations of troops and supplies of armaments from Albania took place without the interference of the Albanian government. According to Serbian accounts, the UCK was also allowed to use training camps in Albania.Furthermore, Albania offered political support to UCK and Thaçi. The Albanian diaspora, both in Western countries and in Macedonia, supported the UCK, mainly financially, but also with volunteers to join the militant group.
