Reactions to the conviction of former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci and three other former Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) leaders for war crimes have highlighted deep divisions between Kosovo and Serbia more than two decades after their 1998-99 war.

Thaci, 58, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague on September 16 after being found responsible for murder, torture, cruel treatment and arbitrary detention. The court said he and the three other defendants were responsible for the deaths of 96 people, the arbitrary detention of 385 and the torture of 303.

Former KLA political leader Jakup Krasniqi was also sentenced to 25 years, former parliament speaker Kadri Veseli to 18 years and former KLA commander Rexhep Selimi to 13 years.

The court acquitted the four men of charges of crimes against humanity, saying prosecutors had not proved beyond reasonable doubt that the crimes formed part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population. The defendants have denied the charges and can appeal.

In Kosovo, where Thaci and the other defendants are widely regarded as freedom fighters in a struggle for independence from Serbia, the verdict prompted anger and protests.

Prime Minister Albin Kurti wrote on X that the ruling was a “travesty of justice”, while acting President Albulena Haxhiu said it was "deeply shocking".

Thousands gathered in Pristina to watch the verdict on large screens. Some protesters later threw stones at the headquarters of the European Union's rule-of-law mission, EULEX. Supporters also clashed briefly with Dutch police outside the Specialist Chambers in The Hague.

Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama, a vocal critic of the trial, posted an image on social media bearing the word "Marre", or "Shame".

In Serbia, where the KLA is viewed as a terrorist group responsible for crimes against Serb civilians and other opponents during and after the conflict, the verdict drew a different response.

Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic welcomed the convictions, saying they confirmed longstanding Serbian claims about the KLA. President Aleksandar Vucic, however, said the verdict should not be met with "any kind of euphoria", pointing to the court's dismissal of the crimes-against-humanity charges and its finding that it lacked jurisdiction over alleged crimes committed after the conflict ended.

Vucic also criticised the differing international reactions to the verdict and the September 7 funeral in Belgrade of former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladic, who died while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity in The Hague.

Mladic's funeral, attended by a handful of senior Serbian officials and accompanied by military honours, drew strong criticism from EU officials. EU leaders said the glorification of convicted war criminals had no place in Serbia or an EU candidate country, but were silent on the outpourings of support for Thaci and the KLA.

Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia in 2008, but Belgrade does not recognise it as a sovereign state. Relations between the two sides remain strained despite years of EU-mediated dialogue.