Sylejman Selimi

Sylejman Selimi (born September 25, 1970) is the former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army, who was convicted of war crimes for the torture and inhuman treatment of prisoners at the Likovac detention center during the Kosovo War. After the war, he served as commander of the Security Force of the Republic of Kosovo; he left this position in 2011 and became the ambassador to Albania.

Early life Selimi was born on September 25, 1970, in the village of Açarevë, Drenica, into an Albanian family. His family originates from the Gashi tribe (fis). He finished primary education in his home town, attended his high school in Kline and finished his studies at the Faculty of Mining and Metallurgy in Kosovska Mitrovica. He was a football player for KF Drenica.

Career

History Prior to the Kosovo Security force, Selimi was commander of its predecessor, the Kosovo Protection Corps. Despite his noted contributions as the primary commander of the KLA, his lack of military experience inflicted heavy losses on the KLA's initial campaign. Due to these severe losses, he would later be replaced by the Croatian Army veteran, Agim Çeku.

Selimi insisted: He received an eight-year prison sentence but later the court cut his sentence to seven years and was conditionally released in January 2019. Kosovo politicians celebrated his release, with President Hashim Thaçi stating: "Kosovo is better and safer with the living hero Sylejman Selimi at liberty."