1,934 ALBANIANS KILLED IN 1998 - KOSOVO HUMAN RIGHTS COMMITTEE

PRISTINA, Jan 23 (Hina) - In the past year, 1,934 ethnic Albanians were killed in Kosovo, the Kosovo committee for the protection of human rights reported on Friday. Of these victims, 229 were women, 213 children and 395 elderly persons, read a report issued by the committee. In 1998, there were 436 died persons who were buried without being identified. Serbian authorities arrested 2,626 Albanians, and detained 1,260 of them in the same period. One hundred and thirty two (132) of the apprehended Albanians were punished, while 1,128 are awaiting trials, the same source said. The committee registered 605 people who went missing after being kidnapped. There were 42 Serbs and Montenegrins among the missing people. According to the committee's report, 450 villages or residential developments were shelled and destroyed in 1998. The conflict caused heavy damage in Kosovo as 41,538 houses and 1,995 facilities were looted, demolished or burnt to the ground in 1998. Almost a half million people were forced to flee their homes. The committee will forward this report to several international governmental and non-governmental organisations. (hina) ms