Kosova Daily Report #1474, 98-06-28
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1474
Prishtina, 28 June 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Gunfire Exchange Reported in Sllatina Sunday Afternoon
[02] Two Vushtrri Villages Come Under Renewed Serb Shelling Saturday
Evening
[03] Heavy Clashes Continue in De^an Village Since Saturday Afternoon
[04] Senior US Official Holds Extensive Talks with U^K Political Leaders
[05] Serb Forces Kill Kosovar Albanian Teacher Dies Saturday
[06] Serb Forces Hold Up 150 Albanians at Checkpoint in Gjakova
[07] Serb Military Gunships Fire on Albanian Villages in Malisheva
[08] Serb Police Apprehends Albanians in Bus in Peja
[09] Serb Police Clamps Down on LDK and CDHRF Activists in Ferizaj
[01] Gunfire Exchange Reported in Sllatina Sunday Afternoon
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - Serb forces opened fire today afternoon on
Albanian positions in Bardhi i Madh ('Belacevac'), about 10 miles west of
Prishtina.
An LDK activist told KIC that Serb forces garrisoned in the forrest above
the neighboring Sllatina village opened fire from machine guns and
automatic rifles at around 14:00 hrs today. Member of resistance units
fired back soon, he said.
The LDK activist could not conform if there were any casualties on any of
the side, noting only that gunfire exchange was continuing at 4 p.m when he
left for Prishtina.
Over the past three days there has been a massive Serb forces build-up
around Sllatina village near the Prishtina airport.
Sllatina is a neighboring village to Bardhi/Bella^evc, which fell under the
control of Albanian resistance forces, U^K (the Kosova Liberation Army),
early this week.
Over Serb army 140 vehicles, tanks, trucks and bulldozers were deployed
Saturday morning in key-positions above the village both in and around a
pine forrest where from a wide expanse - over a dozen villages, military
and civilian airports, a good part of the Prishtina-Pea roadway, as well as
Bella^evc village and the open- cast mines around it - can be controlled
and held under gunpoint.
[02] Two Vushtrri Villages Come Under Renewed Serb Shelling Saturday
Evening
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - Two villages in municipality of Vushtrri
('Vucitern') - Pantina and Okrashtiva - came under renewed Serb forces fire
on Saturday afternoon and evening, LDK sources said.
Pantina and Okrashtica were heavily shelled by Serb forces for over two
hours Friday afternoon too.
Albanian farmsteads were attacked with low-caliber cannons and machine guns
from several Serb positions in the area, including a tower of a tin factory
in the outskirts of Vushtrri.
The Information Commission of the LDK chapter in Vushtrri said the Serb
attack against Okrashtica and Pantina began at around 19:00 yesterday. The
Commission said clouds of smoke were billowing in the sky above the two
villages.
No human casualties have been reported so far, excepting the damage in many
houses and property.
The villages of Okrashtica, Shtitarica e Pantina in Vushtrri municipality
were attacked by Serb forces on several occasions during the past week.
[03] Heavy Clashes Continue in De^an Village Since Saturday Afternoon
Identities of four more killed Albanians established PRISHTINA, June 28
(KIC) - The LDK chapter in De^an said today it has learned identities of
four other Albanians killed by Serb forces in the area.
The LDK named the victims as Halit Z. Tolaj (80), Murat Z.Tolaj (75),
Mustaf Z. Tolaj (70) and his wife Zize Tolaj (75), but it failed to provide
other information regarding the place and date they were killed. It note
however that because of the continuing siege by the Serb forces it is
impossible to verify exact casualty figures.
Meanwhile, sources in De^an said there were several hour long clashes
between the Serb forces and the resistance members in Prejlep village on
Saturday afternoon. Fighting in Prejlep have reportedly continued during
the whole course of Sunday morning.
No word about possible casualties.
[04] Senior US Official Holds Extensive Talks with U^K Political Leaders
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - The United States has confirmed that it has had
direct talks with senior political leaders of the Liberation Army of Kosova
(U^K - KLA) last week.
Agencies quoted the American envoy, Richard Holbrooke, as saying that talks
with the U^K political leaders began on Friday on bid to negotiate a
ceasefire in Kosova. U^K representatives have reportedly committed
themselves to abiding by a ceasefire if it can be negotiated.
The New York Times confirmed today that the US special envoy for Kosova,
Robert Gelbard, had a four hour long discussion with senior political
leaders of the U^K in a city in Western Europe.
Neither the U^K representatives nor the European city where they met were
identified. However, Washington had verified their identity, a senior
official was quoted to having said.
Gelbard had also informed Kosova's President Dr. Ibrahim Rugova in advance
of the meeting, according to the newspaper. "The KLA leaders agreed to work
with Rugova and to 'cooperate with him on a ceasefire and political
negotiations, while recognizing that for now, at least, they need to
support his leadership to try to provide a common negotiating position",
the NY Times said, quoting a senior American official.
Meanwhile, speaking at a news conference in Switzerland the US Ambassador
Richard Holbrooke stressed that meeting of US official with the U^K leaders
did in any way mean distancing between Washington and Kosovar political
leader Ibrahim Rugova, whom he called 'an apostle of non-violence'.
He said U^K representatives must now show they have control over rebel
fighters. "It is up to the people who've had the contacts to demonstrate
that they do have authority over the armed personnel of the KLA in Kosovo.
The contacts were with people who said they had this authority but at this
point that authority remains to be demonstrated" he said and added that "in
no way does this reduce our full support for Rugova, who is the leader
committed to a peaceful non-violent solution. This is the U.S. position and
the position of the Contact Group and it will not change. We continue
to support Doctor Rugova who is the only major leader who is seeking a non-
violent solution to the problem", he said.
[05] Serb Forces Kill Kosovar Albanian Teacher Dies Saturday
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - A 55-year-old Albanian Rexhep Syla, resident of
Shishman village of Gjakova was reported shot dead by Serb forces Saturday
afternoon. The village of Shishman is in the Reka e Keqe area in western
Kosova, adjacent to the border on Albania.
The late Rexhep Syla was a teacher with the local school in Shishman. LDK
sources said he died in clashes with the Serb forces.
Sources in Gjakova said Serb troops have been garrisoned in houses the
local Albanians were constrained to abandon in a couple of villages of Reka
e Keqe region.
Latest reports speak of continued fighting between the Serb forces and
Albanian resistance members along the borders area villages today morning.
[06] Serb Forces Hold Up 150 Albanians at Checkpoint in Gjakova
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - Around 150 Albanians, mainly women, children and
elderly people, were held up by the Serb police for a couple of hour
Saturday afternoon.
Sources in Gjakova said the Albanians were halted at Serb police checkpoint
in a bid to entre the town. They had left homes in the area where fighting
is underway.
Witnesses said there were over 50 children in the group and that several
fainted in the heat.
The Albanians were allowed to enter the town at around 13:00. Three of them
were reportedly held by the Serb police. No word so far about their
whereabouts.
[07] Serb Military Gunships Fire on Albanian Villages in Malisheva
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - Five Serb/Yugoslav military helicopters hovered
for over one hour Saturday afternoon overhead the villages Cerovik,
Stapanic&, Mle^an and Bubavec, municipality of Malisheva in central
Kosova.
The Serb gunships opened indiscriminate fire on the Albanian villages, the
local LDK Information Commission in Malisheva said.
Serbs on helicopters opened machine gun fire on several other Albanian
villages on both sides of the Prishtina-Peja roadway, too.
LDK sources could not still confirm whether there were any human casualties,
noting only that roofs of Albanian houses were hit and damaged.
[08] Serb Police Apprehends Albanians in Bus in Peja
PRISHTINA, June 28 (KIC) - The Serb police apprehended three Albanians in a
bus in Peja, taking them to unknown place, sources in Peja said.
A witness told the KIC that at around 13 hrs yesterday the police halted a
bus commuting between Peja and Rozhaja (Montenegro).
Musa Krasniqi, about 70 from De^an, ^aush Berisha and his son Miftar
Berisha, from Baran of Peja, were forced off the bus and taken to unknown
direction he said.
[09] Serb Police Clamps Down on LDK and CDHRF Activists in Ferizaj
PRISHTINA, June 26 (KIC) - Heavy Serb police forces were involved today
morning in a large-scale campaign of home raids in Ferizaj, detaining
several LDK and human rights activists.
The Information Commission of the LDK chapter in Ferizaj, town 20 miles
south of Prishtina, said the police arrested Sylejman Byty^i, member of the
local LDK presidency and member to the Kosova Parliament, Milaim Jashari, a
senior member of the local chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human
Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF), his son Zylbehar Jashari (21). Zylbehar was
reportedly tortured badly in front of his family.
Fadil Shabani and Haziz Shabani, both LDK activists, Shaip ^erkini, Sk&nder
Ferizi and Besim Zymberi were also detained, the commission said adding
that it suspected that there were other people who had their homes raid and
were arrested by the Serbian police.
Kosova Information Center
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