The International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia (ICTY) acquitted former military commander and prime minister of Kosovo Ramush Haradinaj on all charges of war crimes and crimes against humanity on April 3, Agence France Presse reported.

Haradinaj was accused of torturing and killing Serbs during the 1998-1999 conflict in Kosovo. Prosecutors had requested 25-year imprisonment.

The former commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) is still regarded in Kosovo as a hero and dozens of Kosovo Albanians celebrated the acquittal on the streets of Kosovo capital Pristina, AFP reported.

In a statement carried by Serbian broadcaster B92, Haradinaj said the decision of the tribunal would stabilise Kosovo. “The court ruled that all the charges against me or the KLA were falsified,” the official said. “I extend my sincerest gratitude to the people of Kosovo and my numerous international friends for their faith and support over the past few years.”

The government of Kosovo welcomed the acquittal of Haradinaj and said that this trial “proved that the KLA fight was fair, aimed at liberation and performed in respect of international conventions and law”.

Haradinaj served briefly as prime minister of Kosovo, but stepped down immediately after the Hague court pressed charges against him.He faced trial along with two other co-indictees, his uncle Lahi Brahimaj and Idriz Balaj, commander of KLA special task force known as the Black Eagles. All had pleaded not guilty.