Former Kosovo president Thaci sentenced to 25 years for war crimes

On Wednesday, the Kosovo war crimes tribunal found former Kosovo President Hashim Thaci guilty of multiple war crimes, including murder, torture, and illegal detention. The 58-year-old Thaci, who commanded the Kosovo Liberation Army during the 1990s conflict with Serbia, was sentenced to 25 years in prison. The tribunal convicted him of the murders of 96 political opponents and perceived collaborators, the illegal detention of 385 people, the torture of 303 individuals, and the cruel treatment of around 50.

Thaci, who remained silent as the verdict was read, had previously denied all charges. The ruling has significant implications for Kosovo and Serbia, where tensions between ethnic Albanians and Serbs persist over the legacy of the 1998-99 conflict and Kosovo's 2008 independence. Thaci remains a hero to many Kosovo Albanians, while the tribunal itself is widely unpopular in the country.

In Pristina, thousands gathered to watch the verdict, booing and chanting Thaci's name as some wept. Outside the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague, supporters of Thaci had assembled, waving KLA flags and chanting "UCK."