NATO continues to strike Yugoslavia's oil production facilities  ALSO Cohen: 'Significant' U.S. reserve call-up planned Greek relief efforts under way in Kosovo New wave of refugees sweeps out of Yugoslavia Official Pentagon statement on captured Yugoslav soldier

April 16, 1999
Web posted at: 8:22 p.m. EDT (0022 GMT)

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Ethnic Albanian rebels in Kosovo have captured a Yugoslav soldier and turned him over to the United States, which was holding him as a prisoner of war, the Pentagon said Friday.

The Kosovo Liberation Army took the junior officer in the regular armed forces hostage in Kosovo near the town of Junik, the Pentagon said.

After his capture during a nighttime operation on April 13- 14, the officer was delivered to the Albanian government. On Friday, he was turned over to the United States, and flown on a U.S. helicopter from northern Albania to that nation's capital, Tirana.

The soldier was being treated as a POW under the terms of the Geneva Conventions, the Pentagon said. He was described as being in good condition after being examined by a doctor.

He also was able to receive mail, practice his religion and communicate with others, including his family, the source said.

Pentagon officials have criticized Yugoslavia for not affording those rights to three U.S. solders captured near the Yugoslavia-Macedonia border about weeks ago.

They have not been allowed to communicate with their families or receive medical examinations from international Red Cross workers, U.S. officials said.

Correspondent Jamie McIntyre contributed to this report.

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