Former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for war crimes committed during the 1990s conflict over Kosovo's independence. The verdict comes from a European Union-backed court in The Hague, which found him guilty of murder, torture, and arbitrary detention.
Thaci, 58, was convicted of killing 96 political opponents and torturing 303 people during his leadership of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The court ruled he actively participated in and encouraged crimes, with prosecutors seeking a 45-year sentence. Thaci and three co-defendants can appeal the verdict.
The ruling has sparked protests in Kosovo and The Hague, with supporters condemning the verdict as a blow to the country's independence. The court dismissed six charges of crimes against humanity, citing lack of evidence, but upheld charges related to war crimes. The verdict highlights ongoing tensions between Kosovo and Serbia over the 1998-99 conflict.