Tensions before the war
With the rise of Milosevic, after the death of Tito, the tensions between Serbs and Albanians began to grew. In a rally held in Kosovo, in 1987, Milosevic asserted the Serbs that he would do anything to protect them from Albanians. In 1989, Milosevic reduced the autonomy of Kosovo, in turn putting thousands of Albanians out of work, and restricting them from activities on cultural organizations.
The Appearance of KLA and beginning of War
The Kosovo Liberation Army appeared in 1996, and attacked the Serbian authorities in Kosovo. Serbs responded by increasing their repression on Kosovo population.
In 1998, a US diplomat calls KLA an terrorist group, this was taken from Serbs as an allowance for their actions. This allowed them to carry out the massacres like in: Prekaz, Gornje Obrinje, and Racak.
Even though both sides were in constant battle, the Serbs were always one step ahead.
The most horrible massacre during the War was the Racak Massacre. It happened on January 1999, where there was a mass killing of 45 people.
The order may have come from the office of Slobodan Milosevic.
The massacre made it clear to UN that the only option was military actions.
Kosovo refugees around the World during the wartime
Most of the Kosovo refugee fled to neighboring countries as: Albania and Macedonia. However, there are many of them who managed to locate themselves in countries such as: US, Germany, Canada, Austria, Turkey, etc.
After seeing that Milosevic is not turning back and with the Racak massacre, The UN had no choice but to start the airstrike against Serbs.
It lasted less than a month, and made the Serbs retreat from Kosovo.
The Rambouillet Agreement
After the retreat the peace talk in Rambouillet began. At first both sides were reluctant to talk to each other, but with the pressure from UN, they had no choice but to make an agreement. After months of negotiations, it was decided that a NATO force will be set in Kosovo. Also the return of the refugees, and a new constitution until the Kosovo's status would be determined.
