Kosova Daily Report #1411, 98-04-26
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - Sources in De^an said the funeral of Kosovar
Albanians killed last Thursday by Serb forces will be held Sunday afternoon
at 16:00 hrs.
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
PRISHTINA, April 25 (KIC) - A man who said he managed to escape the Serb
massacre on 23 April claims Serb forces executed the Albanians some 4
kilometers away from the border line on Thursday.
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
PRISHTINA, April (KIC) - Saturday night was another night of nightmare for
the Albanians in the villages of Dushkaja precinct, near the Kosova-Albania
border zone, sources said.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - Additional Serb army forces have were deployed
in De^an and vicinity on Saturday evening and night sources said.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - The funeral of nine Albanians, victims of the
Serb army, was held at the local cemetery in Sllup village of De^an Sunday
afternoon.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - The Hereq village of Gjakova was under repeated
fire of the Serb forces several times Saturday night, sources said.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - Four Albanians, residents of Broja village of
Skenedarj (in Serbian 'Srbica'), were reported wounded Saturday evening.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - The neighborhoods in Llausha village of
Skenderaj, the Spahia and Rreci, were under fierce fire of Serb police
Saturday night.
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
PRISHTINA, April 26 (KIC) - The LDK Information Commission in Klina said
two villages in the area were fired upon by Serb police and military forces
Saturday afternoon.
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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