The flare-up of ethnic tensions between Albanians and Serbs in Kosovo dates back to the 1980s. In the face of increasing pressure from the Milosevic administration, Albanians also began to voice the independence of Kosovo more and more loudly. During the Kosovo War in the late 1990s, fierce clashes took place between the Kosovo Liberation Army and Serbian forces, killing many Albanian civilians. Fortunately, this persecution ended with the intervention of NATO forces in 1999, and the Republic of Kosovo finally declared its independence in 2008, making it the youngest country in Europe. But many countries of the world do not recognize the independence of Kosovo, and Serbia does not want to give up the region that has an important place in their history. More than 110 countries have recognized Kosovo so far. Serbia, on the other hand, opposes the independence of Kosovo, which it considers its own territory. On the other hand, Pristina, where the Ottoman period and Yugoslav architecture are intertwined, Prizren, which prides itself on keeping different languages ​​and cultures alive, and historical Gjakova crowned by the clock tower, are the important centers of this wounded country.

Freelance Photojournalist