Rights Group Accuses Serb Army Chief of War Crimes A respected human rights group has accused Serbia's new army chief of staff of war crimes against civilians in Kosovo during the 1998-99 war, but officials denied the claim. The Humanitarian Law Center, which has been involved in numerous cases stemming from the wars in the Balkans, said in a statement Tuesday that Gen. Ljubisa Dikovic should be replaced. He was appointed last month. The group says "grave and massive" crimes were committed in central Kosovo where Dikovic was in charge as a brigade commander. It adds Dikovic had an obligation to prevent the atrocities and failed to do so. Defense Minister Dragan Sutanovac dismissed the allegations as "monstrous" and untrue. About 10,000 people, mostly ethnic Albanians, died in the Kosovo war. Kosovo declared independence from Serbia in 2008.