Former member of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), Hasan Dakaj, arrived in Kosovo on Friday afternoon, after being released from detention in Serbia, where he had been held for a year under charges of war crimes, his family confirmed.

Dakaj was arrested on January 5, 2024 at the border crossing in Merdara, which connects Kosovo and Serbia. His brother, Gzim Dakaj, confirmed for Koha television that Hasan was taken at around 17:00 from the border point in Merdare.

Local media published images of Hasan Dakaj hugging his relatives in the Kosovar part of the border crossing point with Serbia.

Dakaj was accused under Article 142 of the Criminal Law of the former Yugoslavia – which was in force in 1999 – for war crimes, deprivation of liberty of certain non-Albanian persons, beatings, torture and murder. The Foreign Ministry of Kosovo has not responded to Radio Free Europe’s questions about Dakaj’s release from prison in Serbia.

Dakaj’s release comes about two months after Serbian authorities released another Kosovar citizen held on suspicion of war crimes in October.

Sadik Duraku, a citizen of Great Britain and Kosovo, was released on October 15, about five months after he was arrested on suspicion of war crimes in 1999.

Two other citizens of Kosovo are in custody in Serbia, under charges of war crimes: Nezir Mehmetaj and Tefik Mustafa.