The Kosovo Liberation Army

Abstract

Abstract The political struggle between the various Kosovo Albanian factions has intensified since NATO's air war against Yugoslavia began in March. The prize is rule over Kosovo after it has been liberated from Belgrade, and the split is creating increasing dilemmas for Western policy-makers. On one side are the main leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which for the past year has been waging an armed rebellion against Yugoslavia, but which is deeply distrusted by European NATO governments. On the other are Ibrahim Rugova and other leaders, who for a decade carried out a campaign of civil disobedience against Serbian rule. However, this group too is divided, leading to a complicated and potentially highly unstable Kosovar political landscape.