Kosova Daily Report #1411, 98-04-26

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1411
Prishtina, 26 April 1998

First Edition: 12:00 hrs
Second Edition: 18:00 hrs

CONTENTS

[01] Funeral of Albanians Killed by Serb Army on Thursday Expected to Be Held Today

[02] Albanians Were First Captured Then Executed by Serb Army, Eye- Witness Claims

[03] Tense and Dangerous Situation Reported in Western Kosova Villages

[04] Fresh Serb Army Troops Being Brought in De^an

[05] Ten Albanians, Serb Army Victims, Buried in De^an and Gjakova Saturday

[06] A Woman and 4-Year-old Girl Receive Serb Army Firearm Wounds in Gjakova

[07] Four Albanians Wounded in Broja Village, Drenica

[08] Serb Forces Attack Albanian Neighborhoods in Llausha

[09] Serb Forces Shell Two Albanian Houses in Siqeva of Klina Saturday

[01] Funeral of Albanians Killed by Serb Army on Thursday Expected to Be Held Today

Serb army said it had killed at least 19 Albanians at the Kosova- Albania border zone near a border watch-house at Koshara on 23 April. A witness who said he could escape the Serb army massacre claimed the Albanians were executed somewhere else, at least four km far from the border line. [See his testimony below].

LDK sources in Gjakova said Serb army brought bodies of 19 men in Hereq village on Saturday evening.

The Serbian Tanjug agency carried on Saturday a statement of the Serb martial court in Nis (Serbia) unveiling the names of the Kosova Albanians killed by Yugoslav Army on 23 April 1998. Most of the victims, according to the Serb army statement, were residents of Hereq village of Gjakova.

Meanwhile, the latest reports from Gjakova speak of further build- up of Serb army and police forces in the municipality and areas in the near the Kosova-Albanian border zone.

[02] Albanians Were First Captured Then Executed by Serb Army, Eye- Witness Claims

The Albanian has told the chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in De^an the people were first captured by Serb forces and than executed.

It was not Koshara as Serb regime claims, but at a place called Zharet e Batushes were the Albanians were murdered, he told the human rights council on condition of anonymity for security reasons.

"We were walking in the Kosova side of the border, some 4 km away from the border line when all of a sudden the Serb army opened fire. It was first machine-gun fire, then other sorts of weaponry could be heard. The army even threw chemical gas. Yet, no one died at the spot. Some managed to escape, others were captured by Serb sliders as they were apparently weakened by the poison.

Those captured were ordered by the Serbs to run away. But, as soon as they started running fire was opened on them. They were first sprayed with automatic rife fire, then a grenade was tossed on them. All one could hear were painful screams. They were executed there at the spot", he said.

[03] Tense and Dangerous Situation Reported in Western Kosova Villages

Serb army shelled the area on many occasions last night from a place called Suka e Net^it. Sounds of artillery being fired could be heard in the town of Gjakova too, the LDK Information Commission there said.

Shootings and artillery shelling is being heard today as well. The area has been packed with Serb police and army troops making the movement of local population virtually impossible.

Roads leading to Hereq village where the funeral of Albanian from their village killed last Thursday by Serb forces is expected to be held today, have been blocked by Serb forces.

Heavy Serb army forces have been garrisoned for days now near the Radoniqi water supply system and the dam. Albanian employees and keepers have bee fired and Serbs have been employed instead, the LDK Information in Gjakova said.

[04] Fresh Serb Army Troops Being Brought in De^an

The LDK Information Commission in De^an said 12 Serb army tanks and many armored vehicles drove through the small town yesterday at around 18:00 hrs.

Plying on the loudspeaker the 'chetnik' song "March on Drina" [the song on crossing Drina River in Bosnia], the Serb army convoy drove in the direction of the De^an monastery.

At around 19:30, another Serb army convoy with 13 tanks and 40 truck with Serb soldiers on board drove throw De^an heading for Hulaj border watch- house.

Sources in De^an said firearm shootings were heard last night coming from the Baballoq village and the vicinity.

Four residents of Baballoq Hysen ^allakaj, Hysen Kasumaj, Mehmet Agaj and Gani Rexha were reportedly abducted by unknown men in Gjakova on Saturday. KIC could not obtain further details as to their whereabouts.

[05] Ten Albanians, Serb Army Victims, Buried in De^an and Gjakova Saturday

Selman Brahim Lokaj, Hajdar Lokaj, Bek& Had&rgjonaj, Astrit Had&rgjonaj, Tahir Mazrekaj, Gjemajl Mazrekaj, Bekim Mazrekaj, Beq& Lokaj and Imer Isuf Lokaj, all residents of Sllup village, were killed by Serb forces near the Kosova-Albania border on Thursday, 23 April.

Sources in De^an said over 10 thousand people attended the funeral of the nine Albanians in Sllup today.

Meanwhile, sources in Gjakova said the funeral of another Albanians killed by Serb forces on Thursday was held at Dujaka village.

Veli Noci (30), father to five children, was buried in the local cemetery of his native village, Dujaka, the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said.

The Serb army said it had killed at least 19 Albanians near a border watch- house at Koshara on Thursday. Quoting Yugoslav army sources, the Serb media claimed the Albanians were killed only 50 meters far from the border line, on the Kosovars said of the Albania-Kosova border. They were killed while attempting to be infiltrated from Albania to Kosova, Serb media said.

Meanwhile, an Albanian who said he managed to escape the Serb massacre on 23 April claims Albanians were first captured and executed by Serb forces.

The witness told the human rights Council chapter in De^an on condition of anonymity that Albanians were captured by Serb forces at a place called Zharet e Batushes some 4 kilometers away from the border line were they were murdered soon. Some men, including himself, managed to escape, he said.

"Those captured were ordered by Serbs to run away. But, as soon as they started running, fire was opened on them. They were first sprayed with automatic rifle fire, then a grenade was tossed on them", he told the CDHRF chapter in De^an.

[06] A Woman and 4-Year-old Girl Receive Serb Army Firearm Wounds in Gjakova

The LDK Information Commission in Gjakova said the village was fired upon and shelled with various kinds of armament including artillery.

Two residents of the village, a four-year-old girl Eldiana Hasan Tahiraj, and a woman, Xhemile Tahiraj (35), were wounded during the shelling, the infirmation commission in Gjakova said. It failed, however, to tell about the seriousness of the wounds they sustained.

Bodies of 19 Albanians killed by Serb forces last Thursday were brought in Serb army lorries in the Hereq last evening. Most of the 23 April victims were from this village. Bodies of the dead Albanians were brought to the village in closed coffins, sources said.

It was reported earlier today that the funeral of 10 residents of Hereq was to be held today afternoon. The latest reports said they will be buried in the local cemetery Monday afternoon, at around 13.

[07] Four Albanians Wounded in Broja Village, Drenica

The LDK Information Commission in Skenedarj said Avni Shala (36), his brother Avni Shala (24), as well as a 45-year old woman and a 9-year-old child were wounded. The commission could not learn the names of the wounded child and woman. It noted, however, that Avni Shala has sustained serious wounds and was taken to the Mitrovica hospital.

KIC sources in Skenderaj and Mitrovica were not able to provide further details describing the way or the four Albanians were wounded last evening.

Over a dozen of villages in Drenica region, including Broja, have been held inside a deadly Serb forces siege for eight weeks now.

Around 100 Albanians were killed by Serb forces in Drenica over the past tow months. Most of them were slain by Serbs during a couple of massive onslaughts on villages. The rest were killed by Serb snipers positioned in key-places around villages as well as during the repeated shelling of Albanian houses by Serb artillery.

[08] Serb Forces Attack Albanian Neighborhoods in Llausha

Serb forces opened fire from automatic rifles and machine-guns at around 1:00 a.m., carrying on with sporadic fire until 5 in the morning sources in Skenderaj said.

Xhavit Spahia from LLausha, whose homestead was sprayed with bullets last night told Kosova Information Center (KIC) his family and families of his neighbors spent a nightmarish night.

He said by phone today morning that all the families of Spahia neighborhood spend the night in the cellars fearing Serb police intrusion.

The shootings died out in the morning, Xhavit Spahia said. He added that heavy Serb police forces have been garrisoned an a knoll called Gllavica, about 350 meters far from his house.

[09] Serb Forces Shell Two Albanian Houses in Siqeva of Klina Saturday

Homesteads of tow Albanians Miftar Rraci and Asllan Rraci at Siqeva village were seriously damaged during Serb forces shelling. Miftar Rraci's wife and her nice received slight wounds, the commission said.

Later in the afternoon on Saturday, the Cerovik village came under fierce Serb police fire. Most of the residents, children, women and old people moved out of the village during the evening hours, sources said.

Meanwhile, reports from Klina speak of increased movements of Serb police and army forces in the area today. Serb troops in tanks, armored vehicles and other combat equipment were seen heading for the precinct where villages Jashanica, Pograxha, Dush and Siqeva are.

No report still about possible operations of Serb forces in the area of these villages.

Kosova Information Center

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