Kosova Daily Report #1553, 98-09-15

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1553
Prishtina, 15 September 1998

First Edition: 12:00 CET
Second Edition: 17:30 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Offensive Operations Extend to Northern Kosova

[02] Serb Troops Pound Villages in Shala a Bajgorės, North-East Kosova

[03] Huge Serb Troops and Combat Equipment Have Been Deployed in the Podujeva Area

[04] Serbs Launch Artillery Attack against Pasoma Village in Vushtrri Tuesday Morning

[05] Serb Troops Step Up Shelling from Podujeva Area

[06] Serb Troops Mount Artillery Attack on Shalė e Bajgorės Villages

[07] Returning Refugees Find Bodies of Killed Villagers

[08] Serb Troops and Civilians Terrorize Albanians in Istog

[09] Serbs Continue Pillaging and Torching Homes in Magura Mining Town

[10] Serb Policemen Cut with Knife a '4-S' Serb Sign on Body of Albanian

[11] LDK Activist in Serb Custody in Kamenica

[01] Serb Offensive Operations Extend to Northern Kosova

PRISHTINA, Sept 15 (KIC) - Serbian troops embarked in the past few days on a large-scale attack against the villages of Mazhiq, Melenicė, Bare, etc., part of the mountainous region of Shala e Bajgorės, which lies within the triangle of the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') and Podujeva in northern Kosova.

Reports from the ground said Serbian forces have laid a virtual siege to a large area in the three municipalities, which have not been the target of Serb attacks in the seven-month aggression.

Because of the strategic position of these municipalities in the border area with Serbia, the beginning of campaign to wrap up the ethnic cleansing of Kosova may now be imminent, observers fear.

After a several-month long warming up Serb campaign for an attack foretold, the Albanian population is panic-stricken in northern Kosova.

In the past few days, as huge Serb forces were building up, part of the population from the countryside and the northern town of Podujeva sought refuge in Prishtina, capital of Kosova.

"More aggressive action by the Serbs would trigger" the use of force in Kosova, said a spokesman for the U.S. Department of Defense in Washington last week.

Slobodan Milosevic, the man who masterminded the wars of attrition in Bosnia and Croatia, is now completing the destruction of Kosova piecemeal, while the West, NATO and U.S, are waiting for the Serbs to take a 'more aggressive action' for them to respond.

[02] Serb Troops Pound Villages in Shala a Bajgorės, North-East Kosova

Shala e Bajgorės is a region in north-east Kosova straddling the municipalities of Mitrovica, Podujeva and Vushtrri.

LDK sources in Mitrovica said the villages of Mazhiq, Melenicė and Bare were pounded with machine-gun and artillery fire for about two hours yesterday afternoon. Albanian communities were attacked from a Serb police base at the mining town of Stantėrg and a military one at Kutllofc village, not far from the town of Mitrovica. Sources said several farmhouses were hit by Serb artillery. Some were completely destroyed or badly damaged. There has been no word on possible casualties yet.

Serb troops also sprayed with machine-gunfire the home of Milazim Ademi, head of the local LDK sub-branch at Rashan village.

Sources in Mitrovica reported today (Tuesday) that the shelling of Albanian communities in Shala e Bajgorės has resumed early in the morning today.

[03] Huge Serb Troops and Combat Equipment Have Been Deployed in the Podujeva Area

PRISHTINA, Sept 15 (KIC) - Huge Serbian forces have been concentrated today (Tuesday) in key positions in the Podujeva area, in the town itself and in the villages of the northeastern municipality.

LDK sources in Podujeva reported heavy Serb military, paramilitary police, and police forces have been stationed since early in the morning on a hillside above Bajēinė, a village six km north of Podujeva on the Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway.

At five o'clock in the morning, some 40 combat tanks left Podujeva for Bajēinė. At seven o'clock 36 other tanks and other vehicles went there, while a bit later 144 other vehicles, including APC's, LDK sources said.

The position where they have been concentrated in is located between the villages of Bajēinė, Dobėrdol, Zakut, Dobratin and Bradash.

Around 11:30 hrs today, Serb forces started shelling the Shala e Bajgorės villages from this position, latest reports said.

Meanwhile, reports from Podujeva said Serb forces have been stationed in other locations in the area, too.

At nine o'clock in the morning, 14 Serb vehicles, three tanks and several armoured vehicles and APCs left Podujeva for the village of Dumnica, six km north of the town, which borders on Serbia. An armoured car has been stationed near the Steel Factory in the suburbs of Podujeva in the direction of Dumnica.

Around 10 o'clock, Serb forces were stationed at the Brick Factory in the Podujeva suburbs leading south towards Prishtina, then at a location called Qershitė e Llapashticės, at the town post office, in front of the LDK offices in Podujeva, and elsewhere.

Eye-witnesses said Serb forces have blockaded the Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway, and have turned back people travelling to Kėrpimeh village, 10 km from Podujeva.

In a number of Podujeva villages - such as in Bradash, Dobratin, Obranēė and Llapashticė - the sound of Serb shelling of the Shala e Bajgorės villages could be heard, as well as automatic weapons fire from the Bradashi hills.

[04] Serbs Launch Artillery Attack against Pasoma Village in Vushtrri Tuesday Morning

Sources in Vushtrri said that early in the morning today Serb forces backed up by half a dozen tanks and artillery guns were deployed in the hills of Banjaska village, where from they kicked off the attack against the neighboring Pasoma.

A convoy of Serb troops in 9 tanks and several truck trailing artillery pieces was seen heading towards the Gojbula village this morning. Serb troops subsequently dug in in several key-positions around the village.

By late morning there were no reports about possible involvement of these forces in any attacks against the village.

Activists in Vushtrri described the situation in the area as highly volatile and dangerous.

Shooting from automatic weapons and machine-guns was heard coming from the village of Prilluzha during the whole course of last night. This village near Vushtrri has been for months turned into a big stronghold of Serb police, and army troops, as well as paramilitary units, which have been repeatedly spraying with fire the outlying Albanian communities. Only two days ago, a 50-year-old Albanian was killed in his courtyard in Stanovc village, when the village was pounded with machine-gun bullets from Prilluzha.

[05] Serb Troops Step Up Shelling from Podujeva Area

PRISHTINA, Sept 15 (KIC) - In afternoon hours today (Tuesday), Serb forces continued shelling the Shalė e Bajgorės region from their positions above Bajēinė village, along the Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway, 35 km north of Prishtina.

The mountainous Shalė e Bajgorės region straddles three municipalities in northern Kosova - Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva.

Several houses were in flames at Dobratin village of Podujeva.

There has been no immediate word on possible casualties. An unspecified number of Albanians were reported arrested, though.

A highly volatile situation is reported in the entire municipality of Podujeva, with more than 100,000 inhabitants, 99 percent of whom Albanians.

The population has been panic-stricken.

LDK activists and the members of the Kosova Parliament, Dr. Rexhep Gjergji, Fatmir Sejdiu and Naip Zeka, have been trying to calm down the situation, to persuade people who are not directly affected not to flee their homes.

They called on the population to stay in the homes, or else in neighboring villages. Ethnic cleansing of this northern part of Kosova is expedited if people vacate their homes in Podujeva area, the Kosova legislators said during a meeting with the local LDK leadership in Podujeva.

Sources in Podujeva said Serb forces have ill-treated many citizens in the road leading to the village of Shajkofc.

Local LDK activists in Podujeva said Serb police have been preventing people from leaving the town and proceeding towards Shajkofc as well as travelling on the Podujeva - Kėrpimeh roadway.

In the afternoon, Serb forces stationed at Lluzhan village straddling the Podujeva-Prishtina rowaday prevented people from travelling towards Prishtina.

Reports said a great number of people from the villages of Revuē, Dobratin, Zakut, Bajēinė, Dobratin, Bradash, Obranēė and Llapashticė have fled their homes today. Most of them have sought refuge in the town of Podujeva and in the surrounding villages, hoping they would be able to get back to their homes in the near future.

[06] Serb Troops Mount Artillery Attack on Shalė e Bajgorės Villages

PRISHTINA, Sept 15 (KIC) - Early in the morning today (Tuesday), a convoy of Serb military and police consisting of over 150 vehicles headed in the direction of Stantėrg ('Stari Trg'). A bit later, Serb troops started shelling the villages of Shalė e Bajgorės region, LDK sources in Mitrovica said.

The mountainous Shalė e Bajgorės region straddles three municipalities in northern Kosova - Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Podujeva.

The LDK chapter in Mitrovica reported Serb forces were shelling the villages of Kaēanoll, Bajgorė, Bare, Zjaq, Mazhiq, Kutllofc, Rashan, Pasomė, Melenicė, Rahovė, and other oultying villages.

Reports said Serb forces were shelling from their positions at a location called Kisha e Boletinit (the Boletini church), Zherovica, the Banjskė village of Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') and the village of Dobratin of Podujeva municipality.

Eye-witness accounts said a number of civilian Albanians were wounded in the village of Rahovė. The number and names have not been made available.

Reports said Serb forces have been concentrated along the Mitrovica- Leposaviq roadway. The road has been blockaded to prevent the movement of the Albanian population.

[07] Returning Refugees Find Bodies of Killed Villagers

Villagers of Ratish village claimed they found the bodies of three of their neighbors: Isuf Ukaj (76), Sadri Ukaj (73) and Azem Ukaj (67). The three elderly men were killed on 9 September, when Serb troops advanced into the village, the LDK chapter in Deēan said.

In another village, in Isniq, the unburied body of Halil Berisha (57), killed on 11 September, was found.

Activists in Deēan area said they fear more corpses of Albanians lie scattered about in the villages or under the rubble of houses bombarded by Serb troops.

[08] Serb Troops and Civilians Terrorize Albanians in Istog

Chapters of LDK and human rights Council in Istog named several Albanians who were detained, beaten, terrorized and/or intimidated over the past few days.

Emin Maksutaj, Ibrahim Etemaj, Ejup Pacaj, Malush Zogaj and Kurt Muzliaj, local activists in Orrobėrda village, were held for hours in the local police station in Istog on 12 September. They were beaten up severely. They were threatened with additional maltreatment unless residents of their village handed over weapons they allegedly possessed.

Beqir Fekaj (23) from Kėrrnica village was forced off a bus and was beaten brutally by Serb police on the same day. He was reported beaten up in at least two other police checkpoints between Mitrovica and Vushtrri. Mr Bekaj said that at one point, when the representatives of the International Red Cross saw him in the hands of Serb police, they [police officers] alleged he was a security worker in plain clothes!

Bekaj told the LDK chapter he was afraid to tell the Red Cross people that the police was lying.

[09] Serbs Continue Pillaging and Torching Homes in Magura Mining Town

Most of the local Albanian population fled the town a month ago in the wake of a huge Serb offensive against communities in west Drenica region.

Activists from Lipjan told the KIC today that in the past week alone, Serbs have set afire at least 30 homes of Albanians. During the last few days, Serbs burned the homes of Sabri Rrustemi, Nexhmi Rrustemi, Arsim Rrustemi, Shefki Restelica and Raif Osmani.

Witnesesses said that before setting houses afire, the Serbs looted everything.

[10] Serb Policemen Cut with Knife a '4-S' Serb Sign on Body of Albanian

Sources in Vitia said that Besim Bislimi taken to a cornfield by three Serb policemen. After having been given an obscure liquid to drink, he was subjected to ruthless maltreatment.

Serbs cut with knives 4-S Serb signs [Samo Sloga Spasava Srbiju - 'Only unity saves Serbia'] on the body of the young Albanian.

One such a sign was sketched in his forehead too, witnesses said.

In addition, when Besim Bislimi returned home, he found a note in his pocket written by the Serb policemen who vowed to continue with additional terror. "You will die on 18 October, and it will be a dreadful death", the letter read.

[11] LDK Activist in Serb Custody in Kamenica

Hasan Rapuca and Ramadan A. Haxhiu, members of the LDK presidency in the town, and Shpėtim A.Krasniqi, an activist with the LDK Youth Forum, were arrested in their homes by Serb police today.

The Serb police authorities did not provide any arrest warrant or any explanation about the arrest of the LDK activists.

Kosova Information Center

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