Kosova Daily Report #1560, 98-09-22
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1560
Prishtina, 22 September 1998
First Edition: 12:00 CET
Second Edition: 17:30 CET
CONTENTS
[01] Kosova Defense Minister Assassinated in Tirana Monday
[02] Serb Military Mounts Large-scale Offensive against Albanian Villages
Northwest of Prishtina
[03] Parliament of Kosova Calls for Detained Politicians to Be Released
Immediately
[04] Serb Forces Are Burning Several Villages in Drenica
[05] Serb Forces Shell and Burn Villages in Obiliq Municipality
[06] Serb Forces Separate Menfolks from Fleeing Families in Plemetin,
Obiliq
[07] Three Villages in Mitrovica Shelled by Serb Troops
[08] Identity of Four Other Burned Albanians in Podujeva Established
[09] Serbs Kill 3 and Wound 4 Albanians in Shepherds Huts in De^an, Western
Kosova
[10] Serb Troops Order Albanians to Deliver Weapons or Face Brutal
Crackdown
[11] Serbs Terrorize Albanian Communities near Kosova-Albania Border
[12] Serb Abduct Human Rights Worker in Prishtina
[01] Kosova Defense Minister Assassinated in Tirana Monday
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - Ahmet Krasniqi, Defense Minister of the Republic
of Kosova, was gunned down by two masked persons at 23:25 hrs in Tirana,
Albania, on Monday, the Kosova Defense Ministry said.
Ahmet Krasniqi (1948) was assassinated while on his way to his apartment, a
statement said.
Colonel Krasniqi was named Defense Minister of the Republic of Kosova in
March 1998. He completed his Military Academy in Belgrade in 1973 and
served in the former Yugoslav army (JNA) till the war in Croatia started in
1991.
He had been in contact with the Kosova Government ever since, the Defense
Ministry said, having contributed "military-political analyses". Ahmet
Krasniqi was author of numerous papers and studies on the military art.
He was killed by the "extended hand of the barbarous Serb occupier", the
information department of the Ministry of Defense of the Republic of Kosova
said in a statement.
[02] Serb Military Mounts Large-scale Offensive against Albanian Villages
Northwest of Prishtina
- Huge Serb military and paramilitary police troops, backed by hundreds of
tanks and other combat equipment, involved - Initial reports indicate at
least 16 Albanians, of whom 2 children, were wounded in Prekaz and in the
neighboring village of Mikushnica today.
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - Serbian forces unleashed today (Tuesday) morning
a large-scale offensive against more than a dozen villages along the
^i^avica mountianfoot north-west of Kosova's capital Prishtina.
The ^i^avica area has been placed inside a deadly siege since last night
when huge Serb troops began taking up many positions. Serbs launched
attacks against ^i^avica villages from several old bases as well as
positions taken up overnight and today morning from the surrounding
municipalities of Skenderaj, Gllogovc, Mitrovica, Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') and
Obliq.
Sources told the KIC that the villages of Prilluzh&, Gllavotin, Bivolak,
Strofc, Zhilivod&, Be^uk, Prekaz, Mikushnic&, Polac, Lubovec, Gllobar,
^ikatov& e Re, ^ikatov& e Vjet&r, Poklek i Ri, have been under heavy fire
since early morning hours today. Smoke has been billowing from all these
villages, witnesses said.
It seems like the Serbs are intent on advancing to the Qirez village
(municipality of Skenderaj), the make-shift camp of several thousand
Albanian refugees. It is in this village that 13 representatives of Kosovar
political parties and organizations, including a number of Kosova
Parliament members, are being held under arrest by the U^K since Sunday.
Sources in all these municipal centers reported of a robust buildup of Serb
troops in the positions where from ^ia^vica area can be attacked.
Sllatina (Fush&-Kosova), Komoran, Gllogocv: Since late afternoon hours on
Monday, several motorized convoys of Serb troops have been seen heading for
the Drenica region along the Prishtina-Peja road. At around 17:00 hrs on
Monday 18 tanks, 10 trucks and several armored personnel carriers left
Prishtina heading for Gllogovc.
At 4 a.m today, another long convoy consisting of tanks, trucks trailing
artillery guns, and busloads of special units of Serb security were seen
moving in the same direction.
At around 6:00 a.m today, at least 130 Serb army and police vehicles drove
along the Komoran-Gllogovc road. Serb troops launched a heavy attack
against Gllobar village near the town of Gllogovc.
Sk&nderaj: Since 7:00 a.m., Serb forces kicked off a fierce attack against
Prekaz village. The village is being attacked from the former ammunition
factory near Skenderaj as well as from a base established overnight in
Polac village.
Initial reports indicate that at least 16 Albanians, of whom 2 children,
were wounded in Prekaz and in the neighboring village of Mikushnica today.
Vushtrri Heavy Serbian military and police forces arrived today in the
municipality of Vushtrri ('Vucitrn') from the direction of Prishtina and
have advanced into the villages at the foot of ^i^avica mountain. Serbs
started shelling the villages at 7 o'clock in the morning. Part of the Serb
armed forces have been stationed at Bruznik.
At 9 o'clock the village of Gllavotin was shelled. Heavy smoke was seen
billowing from this village.
Vushtrri and all the villages of the municipality which are situated
alongside the ^i^avica have been placed under a ring of steel.
For the first time, heavy Serb forces have been deployed along the Sitnica
river banks. They are backed up by armored vehicles.
Yesterday, the situation in the municipality of Vushtrri was further
aggravated when a large number of armed Serbs made themselves visible. The
arming of civilian Serbs went on throughout the day on Monday.
Obiliq: Early in the morning today, Serbian forces started shelling the
villages of Obiliq around ^i^avica.
Heavy Serbia paramilitary police forces have been stationed in the village
of Plemetin. They are backed up by a huge arsenal, over 100 tanks and other
combat equipment. A pontoon bridge is there upon Sitnica in Plementin.
Serbian forces have been deployed also in the village of Prilluzh& and
other locations in the municipality of Vushtrri.
Reports said Serb forces have besieged the entire area of ^i^avica.
Meanwhile, since 5 o'clock in the morning, Serb forces have been shelling
the villages of Hamidi and Sibovc of Obiliq municipality.
Shkabaj, Prishtin&: Heavy Serbian troops backed up by combat tanks and
armored vehicles arrived yesterday and today in the village of Shkabaj
('Orlovic') near Prishtina, situated on the right side of the Prishtina-
Obiliq- Vushtrri-Mitrovica roadway. Serb forces have been moving in the
direction Gazimestan-Shkabaj-Prishtina, with flags, chanting nationalist
songs, and holding the village at gunpoint.
The local Serbs have been armed and joined forces with the Serb police in
manning guards. Sentries have been posted near the Tyrbja, near the village
cemetery in Mazgit.
Yesterday, Serb civilians ill-treated the villagers taking part in the
funeral processions of one of their fellow villager.
More than 200 Albanian families and 15 Serb ones live i this village.
[03] Parliament of Kosova Calls for Detained Politicians to Be Released
Immediately
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - The Presidency of the Parliament of the Republic
of Kosova, after having discussed with the political parties (LDK, PSHDK,
PLK, PNDSH, PNDSHK, PPSH dhe BSPK) the situation after the detention of the
Kosova political activists in Qirez village of Skenderaj ('Srbica') on
Sunday, made an appeal for them to be released immediately.
The Presidency of the Parliament and the political parties and trade unions
have received with deep concern the news of the arrest by the U^K (Kosova
Liberation Army) of a number members of the Republic of Kosova Parliament's,
including the deputy speaker Gjergj Dedaj, and representatives of the
Albanian political parties who were visiting the Albanian civilian
population in the village of Qirez of Skenderaj, a press release said
today.
The Kosova Parliament and the above-mentioned political parties consider
that such an act make the work of political activists harder, and "does not
contribute to the rapprochement and concerted action of all the political
and state institutions in their struggle for freedom and independence of
Kosova", the speaker of the Parliament, Idriz Ajeti said in a statement
today.
The Presidency of the Parliament of Kosova and the political parties
strongly believe that the detained political activists will be released
immediately, the softly-worded appeal of the Parliament speaker concludes.
These members of the delegation were arrested by the U^K on Sunday: Gjergj
Dedaj, vice-president of the Parliament of the Republic of Kosova, Agim
Krasniqi, member of the presidency of the LDK (Democratic League of Kosova),
Professor Jusuf Telaku, an MP from the LDK, Mehdi Bardhi, member of the LDK
General Council, Veli Byty^i, vice-chairman of the PSHDK (Christian
Democrats), and Kurtesh Devaja and Simon Augustini, members of the PSHDK
presidency, Sokol Blakaj, Halim Mujku, and Hasim D&rmaku, members of the
presidency of the PLK (Liberal Party), Milaim Kadriu, chairman, and Musa
Binakaj, vice-chairman of the PPSH (Albanian Popular Party), and Qaush
Bajrushi, chairman of a Trade Unions branch.
Part of the delegation were also Mrs Nekibe Kelmendi, Secretary- General of
the LDK, and Mrs Sanije Aliu, member of the LDK presidency, but they, along
with the journalists escorting the delegation, were let go.
[04] Serb Forces Are Burning Several Villages in Drenica
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - A Serbian military and paramilitary police
offensive against the villages around the ^i^avica mountains north-west of
capital Prishtina has been going on since early in the morning today
(Tuesday.
Local sources in Skenderaj ('Srbica') said around 15:00 hrs today Serb
forces had advanced into the villages of T&rstenik, Gllobar, Prekaz, etc.
and have been torching the Albanian houses.
Meanwhile, the displaced Albanian population has been living in the
mountains fearful of Serb shells landing there, too, as it has happened in
elsewhere in Kosova.
An LDK source in the village of Qirez told the KIC Serbs have been shelling
continuously the villages of Dobroshefc, ^ikatov&, Gllanasell& and Baic&.
They villages are being shelled from Serb forces positions in the
Ferronikeli (Ferrous-Nickel) factory compounds near the town of Gllogovc.
The villages are burning, the source said, adding that Serb tanks are
advancing towards the villages.
An Albanian was confirmed wounded by midday today in the village of
Gllanasell&.
The Albanian population has deserted the attacked villages and flee to the
mountains.
[05] Serb Forces Shell and Burn Villages in Obiliq Municipality
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - Early in the morning today (Tuesday), heavy Serb
military and police troops started shelling the villages of the
municipality of Obiliq stretching at the foot of the ^i^avica mountains.
An LDK activist told the KIC Serb forces have been shelling the villages of
Grabovc i Ep&rm, Shipitull&, Hade, Sibovc, Lajthisht& ('Leskovsic'),
Zhilivod& and outlying areas.
Serb forces have been attacking from their positions in the outskirts of
Bardhi i Madh ('Belacevac'), the Dobrosell& open mine pit, the "Kosova B"
power plant compounds, the village of Mazgit, while the attacked villages
have been placed under a deadly siege.
The houses of the Mirena family compound have been set ablaze amidst Serb
shelling of Hade village.
Movement of people has been hampered in the region, and the employees of
the open pit mine in Bardhi i Madh have not been allowed to go to their
work-places.
Heavy Serb forces with tanks and armored vehicles have been repositioned at
a location called Pishat e Sllatin&s near Fush& Kosova.
Latest reports said the villages of Lajthisht&, Sibofc, Hamidi, Grabofc,
Shipitull&, Gllavotin, Zhilivod&, Bivolak, Mihaliq and Strofc, municipality
of Obiliq, are all in flames. Having entered the villages, Serbs loot the
houses before setting them ablaze.
In these villages, besides their population, displaced people who had been
running towards ^i^avica today morning have found themselves in the face of
new risks.
The refugees in ^i^avica region - mostly women, children and the elderly -
have been in a desperate situation. They have been streaming up there after
the shelling today.
Local sources said a woman of the Kelmendi family compound of Sibovc
village had been wounded today.
A local resident of the village of Plemetin told the KIC today the
Albanians left their village after it came under shelling and were moving
towards Milloshev& village.
The resident said Serb soldiers and policemen had held up the men of this
village and ordered women to proceed towards the small town of Obiliq.
Serb policemen and sliders told the Albanian women they could stay in
Plementin because "nothing had happened there!"
[06] Serb Forces Separate Menfolks from Fleeing Families in Plemetin,
Obiliq
PRISHTINA, Sept (KIC) - The Serb troops have been separating menfolks from
clusters of fleeing Albanians in Plemetin village, in Obiliq municipality,
north-west of Prishtina, two witnesses told the KIC today.
Sources in the area said heavy Serb troops backed up by 30 tanks, half a
dozen trucks and other combat vehicles ,were deployed around the Plemetin
village early in the morning today. At around 6:00, Serbs unleashed an
artillery attack against the farmhouses in the village.
The witnesses said once the bombardment died out for a while, the local
population began fleeing in panic. Clusters of fleeing people were halted
by Serb troops later. The Serbs held up all the menfolks, while the rest of
their families were ordered to return to their village.
By early afternoon the KIC could not learn anything about the fate of
Albanians held up by Serb troops in Plemetin today morning.
[07] Three Villages in Mitrovica Shelled by Serb Troops
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - The villages of Vaganic& e Ep&rme, V&rnic& and
Pir^, in the Mitrovica municipality, came under heavy Serb fire both last
night and today (Tuesday) morning.
The LDK chapter in Mitrovica said Serb troops entered the Vaganica village
today morning, embarking on a brutal campaign of repression and
intimidation. Serbs set afire half a dozen farmhouses of the Haxhiu and
Gjoshi extended families.
Several houses have been reported torched likewise in the villages of
V&rrnic& and Lusht&.
The plundering and destroying of property of Albanians preceded the actual
burning of houses, local residents told LDK chapter in Mitrovica.
Several KIC sources, including the LDK Information Commission in Mitrovica,
reported of an immense buildup and movement of Serb forces in the town and
surrounding areas. Armed Serb civilians have also been roaming the streets,
they said.
Serb police and armed civilians manning patrols were positioned this
morning in several places between the town theater and the secondary
technical school in the town, as well as on the Mitrovica-Shipol road.
[08] Identity of Four Other Burned Albanians in Podujeva Established
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - Charred bodies of four other Albanians burned
last week in houses between the villages of Dobratin and Baj^in&, in
Podujeva, were identified today.
The bodies of six, perhaps seven, Albanians were found Sunday in three
burned houses in the Lepaja family compound near Dobratin.
Family members identified on Monday corpses of Rrahim Lepaja (30), and
Beqir Lepaja (28), both of them residents of the Lepaja family compound.
The LDK chapter in Podujeva said the identitity of the following four
burned Albanians was established today: Xhafer Ajvazi (60) resident of
Dobratin, Ejup Sejdiu (36), Rrahim Ramadani (16) the three of them
residents of Dobratin, and Muhamet Fazliu (35), resident of Llausha village,
Podujeva municipality.
The four victims had tried to go to Dobratin village and evacuate their
families in the wake of the Serb crackdown on the village last week. The
men were apprehended by Serb troops and were finally burned after having
been terrorized brutally, the LDK chapter said, quoting witnesses who spoke
on condition of anonymity, fearful of Serb reprisals.
At least 23 Albanians were killed last week during a huge Serb forces'
offensive against Albanian communities in the Shala a Bajgor&s region,
straddling between the municipalities of Podujeva, Mitrovica and Vushtrri,
north-west of Prishtina.
[09] Serbs Kill 3 and Wound 4 Albanians in Shepherds Huts in De^an, Western
Kosova
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - The LDK chapter in De^an said today (Tuesday)
three Albanians were killed and four others wounded in an Alpine summer hut
in Strellc mountains, when the site was attacked by Serb troops on Sunday.
It named the following Albanians as slain by Serbs: Ms Florije Kamaj (35),
Can& ^elaj (29), and Naser Bajramaj (15).
The women, Shyhrete Bajramaj and Vjollca Bajramaj, and two other men, whose
identity could not be learned still, were wounded. They were taken to
hospital for treatment, the LDK said, failing to describe their health
condition.
Several other Albanians were tortured badly, including Ms Sofe Bajramaj,
Elez Kamaj, Hasan Hoxhaj, Ms Ajmane Hoxhaj, Isuf Demush Kurtulajn, LDK
sources said.
[10] Serb Troops Order Albanians to Deliver Weapons or Face Brutal
Crackdown
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - Residents of four villages in Suhareka, south-
east Kosova, were given on Monday a 24-hour ultimatum by Serbs to surrender
all the weapons they allegedly possess or else face brutal crackdown.
The LDK chapter in Suhareka said the police and military troops backed up
by heavy armament drove yesterday along the main squares of the villages of
Gjinoc, Sopij&, Mushtisht and Re^an. Residents of these villages were told
to hand ine every single piece of armament by Tuesday noon.
Witnesses said Serb forces on board of the vehicles waved Albanian banners,
symbols of U^K and other national Albanian symbols, provoking and
ridiculing the local population.
Similar ultimatums for surrendering weapons have been lately issued to many
villages across Kosova. The immediate consequence of such a campaign has
been thousands of people fleeing their homes out of fear of Serb onslaughts
and massacres.
Residents of a village near Rahovec (Orahovac) were last week told by Serb
forces that they may give 50 German marks per family instead of weapons if
they wanted to be spared from persecution.
They did so, but the odd thing is that other troops asked the same amount
of many from the same villagers the very next day.
[11] Serbs Terrorize Albanian Communities near Kosova-Albania Border
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Prizren
described the situation in Hasi region, located near the Kosova-Albania
border in western Kosova, as very repressive and dangerous amidst
unremitting Serb army and police campaigns of terror.
The villages of Dedaj, Lugisht&, Kushnin, Kabash and Romaj&, which have
been under a virtual siege by Serb troops since last Saturday, have been
further oppressed today.
Residents of these villages have been ordered to surrender all the weapon
they allegedly possess, or else "face a complete destruction" as Serb
officers put it.
Serb officers went to the villages of Krajk and Gjonaj today ordering
villagers to choose representatives who they would talk to about the
modalities of handing over to the police the weapons they allegedly
possess.
At the villages of Kabash and Romaj&, Serbs have set afire several houses
and barns, including those of Refki Demaj, Sali Demaj, Sadri Demaj, Ismet
Xhemaj, Arif Ukaj and Naki Nezaj. In addition, the Serbs vowed to raze the
two villages unless every single piece of weapon is delivered to them,
sources said.
[12] Serb Abduct Human Rights Worker in Prishtina
PRISHTINA, Sept 22 (KIC) - The fate of a Kosovar human rights worker,
abducted by Serbs in Prishtina five days ago, is till unknown, his
organization said today.
Xhavit Haziri, a former political prisoner, currently an administrative
worker with Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and
Freedoms (CDHRF), was abducted in Prishtina on 17 September, at 11:30 a.m.
while on his way to his office.
The CDHRF quoted eye-witnesses speaking on condition of anonymity as saying
that Xhavit Haziri was abducted by Serbs in plain clothes. The kidnapers
were apparently officers of the Serb state security, they said.
Kosova Information Center
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