Hashim Thaci: Kosovo rebel who swapped guns for politics

The tall, silver-haired 54-year-old -- who also served more than seven years as prime minister -- saw his popularity soar when he helped oversee Kosovo's declaration of independence from Serbia in 2008, just three months after winning an election.

A man walks past a huge billboard depicting former Kosovo president Hashim Thaci in Pristina on March 31, 2023. War crimes trial of Hashim Thaci starts on April 3, 2023 in The Hague. AFP