NATO Intervention in Yugoslavia Halts After 78 Days
78-Day Intervention Ended with 2300 Airstrikes and an Estimated 3500 Fatalities
Italy Played a Role in the 1999 NATO Bombing of Yugoslavia
After 78 days, 2300 airstrikes, and an estimated 3500 fatalities, NATO has ended its intervention in Yugoslavia. The intervention began on March 24, 1999, in response to the Yugoslav government's crackdown on ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. The bombing campaign was designed to force Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to withdraw his forces from Kosovo and allow the safe return of ethnic Albanians who had been forced to flee.
Italy participated in the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia. Italian aircraft flew over 500 sorties and dropped over 1,000 bombs. The Italian government said that its participation in the bombing campaign was necessary to stop the humanitarian crisis in Kosovo. However, the bombing campaign was controversial in Italy, and many Italians opposed it.
The bombing campaign ended on June 10, 1999, after Milosevic agreed to withdraw his forces from Kosovo. The United Nations then established a peacekeeping force in Kosovo, and ethnic Albanians began to return to their homes.
The NATO intervention in Yugoslavia was a significant event in the history of the Balkans. It marked the first time that NATO had intervened militarily in a conflict in Europe since the end of the Cold War. The intervention also had a significant impact on Italian foreign policy. It showed that Italy was willing to use military force to defend its interests and to promote stability in Europe.
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