Briefly explain the conflict in Kosovo and the competing claims for the territory

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: The population of Kosovo is more than 90 percent ethnic Albanian, however, Serbs consider Kosovo an essential place in the formation of the Serb ethnicity, because they fought an important battle against the Ottoman Empire there in 1389. As part of Yugoslavia, Kosovo had been an autonomous province. With the breakup of Yugoslavia, Serbia took control of Kosovo, launched a campaign of ethnic cleansing of the Albanian majority and at its peak in 1999, had forced 750,000 of Kosovo's 2 million ethnic Albanian residents from their homes, mostly to camps in Albania.

Outraged by the ethnic cleansing, the United States and Western European countries, operating through NATO, launched an air attack against Serbia. The bombing campaign ended when Serbia agreed to withdraw all of its soldiers and police from Kosovo.

Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008. The U.S. and most European countries have recognized its sovereignty, but countries allied with Serbia, including China and Russia, oppose it.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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