What military involvement did NATO undertake in the Balkans in the 1990s?

In the 1990s, NATO’s military involvement in the Balkans was primarily focused on addressing the humanitarian crisis caused by ethnic cleansing during the Yugoslav Wars. The most notable instance was the NATO bombing campaign in 1999 against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which aimed to stop the Serbian forces from committing atrocities against ethnic Albanians in Kosovo. This intervention was driven by the urgency to protect civilians and restore peace in the region.

NATO’s actions were a significant turning point in international military engagement in humanitarian crises, marking a shift towards using military force to protect human rights and prevent ethnic violence, which was a central theme during this turbulent period in the Balkans. The use of airstrikes and the eventual deployment of peacekeeping troops were part of broader efforts to stabilize the area and safeguard the civilian population from further violence.