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Kosova Daily Report #1706, 99-02-28
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1706
Prishtina, 28 February 1999
First Edition: 12:30 CET
Second Edition: 16:00 CET
CONTENTS
[01] Serbian Forces Launch Artillery Attack against Pustenik Village,
Southeast Kosova
[02] Serbs Resume Shelling Half a Dozen Villages in Mitrovica and Vushtrri
Area
[03] President Rugova Receives British Ambassador on Saturday
[04] Gunfire Reported in Gajre Village of Ka^anik
[05] Serbian Forces Resume Shelling Llapashtic& Village of Podujeva
[06] Police Seals Off Gjakova Street, U^K Fighter Found Killed
[07] Mehmet Re^ica, School Principal, Found Dead Two Dozen Km Away from His
Home Village
[01] Serbian Forces Launch Artillery Attack against Pustenik Village,
Southeast Kosova
3,000-4,000 Albanian residents, displaced from the fighting, try in vain to
cross over to safety in FYROM
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - Serbian forces launched today (Sunday) an
artillery attack against the village of Pustenik, the small municipality of
Hani i Elezit, in southeast Kosova bordering on the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia (FRYOM). The shelling was especially strong between
10:15 and 10:35 CET.
The sound of heavy guns reverberated several kilometers away.
The panic-stricken population has been fleeing the area, the KIC has
learned.
At 11:30 CET today, some 3,000-4,000 residents had approached the border
crossing area in a bid to cross over to safety in neighboring FYROM.
Serbian forces have been preventing them from actually crossing the border,
local LDK sources in Hani i Elezit said.
The passage through the Hani i Elezit border crossing has been blocked,
sources told the KIC just before noon today.
The village of Goranc& was emptied of its Albanian population yesterday
(Saturday). The Serbian military detained Skender Berisha (1964) and drove
him away towards Ka^anik. His fate and whereabouts are unknown.
The Ka^anik - Hani i Elezit roadway has seen stepped up Serbian military
and police forces' movement in both directions today, local sources said.
Four armored vehicles full of paramilitary police personnel were seen at
11:00 CET, while a column of Serbian forces headed towards Ferizaj.
[02] Serbs Resume Shelling Half a Dozen Villages in Mitrovica and Vushtrri
Area
Names of two U^K fighters killed 26 February in Vaganic& confirmed
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - Serbian forces resumed today (Sunday) their
shelling of the villages of Vaganic& e Poshtme, Vaganic& e Ep&rme, V&rnic&
and Pir^, municipality of Mitrovica, and Oshlan and Pantin& villages of
Vushtrri.
Initial reports have indicated casualties, but also considerable material
damage.
The identity of two U^K fighters, killed 26 February in clashes with
Serbian forces, has been reported. They have been named as Gazmend Bali
(22) and Muhamet Gashi (30), both residents of Mitrovica, local LDK sources
said.
Local Albanian resistance forces, the U^K, has been resisting a sustained
Serbian offensive for days in a row.
The sound of heavy Serbian guns being used today has been reported heard in
the town of Mitrovica, 38 km northwest of capital Prishtina.
Serbian military forces resumed their attack on Bukosh village of Vushtrri
Saturday afternoon, around 17:00 CET. The attack lasted till 19:15, to only
be resumed later in the evening, LDK sources in Vushtrri said.
Serbian forces opened sporadic fire from three positions, Bukosh, Dolak and
Frash&r ('Svinjare') villages. Heavy fire was mounted at 03:30 a.m. today
(Sunday). The area has been sealed off, making it virtually impossible to
learn anything about possible casualties.
A group of armed Serbian civilians engaged in automatic weapons fire at 3
a.m. today in the 'Sadik Hamiti' street in the town of Vushtrri.
The situation was a bit calmer in later in the morning in Vushtrri, sources
said.
[03] President Rugova Receives British Ambassador on Saturday
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova on Saturday received Mr. Brian Donnelly, the British Ambassador to
Belgrade. Attending the meeting was also David Slinn, Secretary in the
British Embassy.
Rugova and Donnelly exchanged views about the current grave situation in
Kosova, as well as the Rambouillet Conference on Kosova.
President Ibrahim Rugova said the interim agreement deliberated upon in the
17 days of the Conference opens up prospects for the future of Kosova and
all its people. He said he expected the agreement would be signed after
consultations on the ground, at all levels of organization in Kosova.
The Kosova leader expressed his conviction the people of Kosova will say
'yes' to the agreement, which, as he put it, "has to be implemented by NATO
forces".
Ambassador Donnelly conveyed his government's full backing for what has
been achieved in the Rambouillet conference. He emphasized that Great
Britain, once the agreement is signed, is prepared and determined to help
implement it, including with commitment of its troops as part of a NATO-led
implementation force.
[04] Gunfire Reported in Gajre Village of Ka^anik
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - Heavy gunfire was reported in the village of
Gajre, municipality of Ka^anik, around 13:00 CET today (Sunday).
The sound of gunfire was heard in the town of Ka^anik, in southeastern
Kosova, itself.
The Albanian residents of Bob village, adjacent to Ka^anik, have been
fleeing their homes, local LDK sources said.
A Serbian police armoured vehicle and two jeeps full of policemen left the
police station in Ka^anik at 12:25 CET today.
A team of the OSCE verification mission departed for Gajre village in a bid
to see for itself what has been going on there.
Reports said Serbian military and police reinforcements, backed up by
armoured vehicles, were coming into the area at 13:45 CET.
[05] Serbian Forces Resume Shelling Llapashtic& Village of Podujeva
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - Serbian military forces have been sporadically
shelling the village of Llapashtic&, southwest of the northern town of
Podujeva, since four o'clock in the morning today (Sunday), local LDK
sources told the KIC.
The shelling originates from Serb positions at 'Tabet e Llapashtic&s', from
where the Serb military has been targeting U^K positions on the right side
of the Llapi river for a couple of months now.
A heavy presence of Serbian forces has been reported in the town of
Podujeva, home to 20,000 Albanians. They have been holding key
communications and entrances/exists under a firm grip, local sources said.
[06] Police Seals Off Gjakova Street, U^K Fighter Found Killed
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - A fighter of the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) was
found dead today morning near the Osek Pash& village, in the suburbs of the
town of Gjakova, southwest Kosova.
The U^K member, whose identity has not been established yet, has been
killed in yet unsolved circumstances, local LDK sources said, adding that
another Albanian has been reported wounded.
An Albanian, found killed in yet unsolved circumstances in Bishtazhin
village four days ago, has been buried in the Gjakova town cemetery today.
Around lunch time today, Serb police in five vehicles sealed off the
^abrati road and the Mulla Jusufi street in the town of Gjakova, local LDK
sources said.
[07] Mehmet Re^ica, School Principal, Found Dead Two Dozen Km Away from His
Home Village
PRISHTINA, Feb 28 (KIC) - The man found dead with a gunshot wound yesterday
at Barain& village, near Orllan, was Mehmet Re^ica, resident of Vranidoll
village of Podujeva.
Mr. Re^ica, in his early forties, father of eight, an elementary school
principal in his village, was last seen alive four days ago, local human
rights sources said.
Kosova Information Center
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