SUMMARY

[Note to reader: this Country page primarily contains brief information about state-based violence during the period 1946–1974, and to some extent 1975–1988. For more detailed information on organized violence after 1989, please consult the specific Conflict and Dyad pages available on the left-hand side of this page. These pages contain more detailed information regarding all three categories of organized violence in this country from 1989 and onwards (when applicable), as well as detailed information about state-based violence 1975–1988. The left-hand side menu also contains links to Actor pages for all groups involved in organized violence since 1989 in this country, as well as actors involved in state-based violence 1975–1988.]

On 17 February 2008 Kosovo adopted a declaration of independence. The government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) disputed the legality of the declaration and requested an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ). On 22 July 2010 the ICJ ruled that the declaration did not violate international law. An EU-facilitated dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia resulted in the an agreement between Serbia and Kosovo on 19 April 2013 which abolished all of the Republic of Serbia's institutions in Kosovo. Despite the agreement, Serbia has continued to refuse to recognize Kosovo's independence or to ratify the Brussels agreement into a binding law.

The conflict over Kosovo between the government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) and the UCK (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, Kosovo Liberation Army) is seen by UCDP as an intrastate conflict within Serbia (Yugoslavia). In 1996 Kosovo-Albanian resistance towards perceived Serbian domination became violent after a long campaign of peaceful opposition. Kosovo, demographically dominated by Albanians, had its autonomy revoked by the government in 1990, which had sparked the drive for independence. The conflict escalated in 1998, which marks the start of yet another intrastate conflict within the FRY. Yugoslavian security forces battled with the UCK (Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, Kosovo Liberation Army) and also made use of one-sided violence against Kosovo-Albanian civilians during 1998 to 1999. The conflict ended in 1999 when a NATO bombing campaign forced the government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) to sign a peace agreement and withdraw its forces from Kosovo. A peacekeeping force was stationed in Kosovo and the future status of the territory was to be decided through negotiations.

Kosovo has no recorded conflicts in UCDP data. The Yugoslavia: Kosovo conflict is viewed as an intrastate conflict within Serbia (Yugoslavia).