Kosova Daily Report #1475, 98-06-29

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1475
Prishtina, 29 June 1998

First Edition: 11:00 CET
Second Edition: 16:15 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Serbs Kill Man and Boy, Wound Three Kids, and Abduct Two Albanians in Drenoc of Klina

[02] Serb Forces Attack Villages near Kosova's Capital Prishtina Monday Morning

[03] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Villages of Fush&-Kosova and Obiliq

[04] 8-Year-Old Albanian Boy Dies of Wounds, Another Critically Wounded

[05] Sharply Deteriorating Situation in Obiliq Monday

[06] Serbs Open Machine-Gun Fire on Bus in Skenderaj

[07] Serbs Set Ablaze 12 Albanian Houses in Skenderaj Village

[08] No Confirmation on the Killing of Two Albanians in Klina

[01] Serbs Kill Man and Boy, Wound Three Kids, and Abduct Two Albanians in Drenoc of Klina

LDK sources in Klina said Shaip Krasniqi (30) and Betim Fejza (12) were killed by the Serbs last evening. Three children - Fidan Agushi (12), Arben Fejza (17) and Labinot Fejza (10) - were seriously wounded.

Sources said that at around 20:00 hrs last evening, Serb police, in a tandem with Serb civilians, launched a brutal attack against Drenoc village of Klina. The Serb attack in the village lasted for about one hour.

While retreating from the village the Serb forces abducted two local Albanians, Qaush Fazlia (38) and Skënder Ademi (51).

The Information Commission of the LDK chapter in Klina said the Drenovc village remains to be inside a deadly siege by Serb forces still today. There is a large number of children, women and elderly people from the village and other pats of the area trapped in the village, the LDK branch in Klina said, adding it feared the Serbs may embark fresh massacres in Drenoc any time.

[02] Serb Forces Attack Villages near Kosova's Capital Prishtina Monday Morning

LDK sources in Obiliq said early in the morning today Serb forces began attacking the villages Hade and Lismir ('Dobri Dub').

Besides regular Serb troops, there were Serbs civilians involved in the attack too, witnesses said.

Gunfire shooting was reported until 9 a.m in these two villages. KIC learned that an 8-year-old boy, Behar Gojnovci was wounded in Lismir. The village has been rigorously sealed off by Serb forces, sources said. Serb snipers hold key positions around the village, including the top of railway station in Fushë-Kosova.

At around 6 a.m. today, Serb forces kicked off an attack against Hade, a village neighboring on Lismir. LDK people in Obiliq said the Serbs' intention is to conquer these two villages where from they could control and perhaps attack the Bellaqevc village and the open-cast mines there which fell under the control of the Liberation Army of Kosova (UÇK) last week.

There has been a massive Serb forces build-up around Sllatina village of Fushë-Kosova during the past three days. Over 140 Serb army vehicles, tanks, trucks and bulldozers were deployed Saturday morning in key-positions above the village, namely in a pine forrest where from the neighboring Bellaçevc village and the open-cast mines can be controlled and held under gunpoint.

Sources in Fushë-Kosova said Serb forces attacked several positions in Bellaqevc on Sunday afternoon and evening. Serb army tanks opened fire on a canteen and a spare-parts depot inside the coal mines campus. LDK sources have learned the name of one Albanian wounded during the shelling, naming him as Ekrem Simnica.

Meanwhile, sources in the area said the Serb attack in the villages around the coal mines has been intensifying. An eye-witness told KIC that he saw clouds of smoke billowing in the sky in several places in Bellaçevc and the coal mines campus later in the morning today. No word yet about possible casualties.

[03] Serb Forces Resume Shelling Villages of Fush&-Kosova and Obiliq

The villages of Hade and Lismir (Dobri Dub'), about 8 miles north- west of Prishtina, came under fierce Serb forces attack early in the morning today.

Hade and Lismir are adjacent to Bella^evc village and the open-cast mines there which fell under the control of the Liberation Army of Kosova (U^K) last week.

Sources in Obiliq said at around noon the Serb shelling of Hade was continuing unabated. The Serbs were just expanding attacks against the neighboring villages of Lajthisht& and Hamidi, the LDK chapter in Obiliq said later.

Smoke was billowing overhead the area in the village around the extended families of Hasan Graj^evci, Shaip Graj^evci an Mustaf& Graj^evci a witness told KIC early in the afternoon. He said the house of Brahim Morina was burned down.

The situation was reported extremely tense in Dardhishta and Lismir villages too. The two villages have been rigorously sealed off by Serb forces surrounding a vast area. Serb snipers hold key positions around the village, including the top of railway station in Fush&-Kosova and electric power plants in Obiliq.

An 8-year-old boy, Behar Gojnovci was fatally wounded in Lismir today morning. The boy reportedly died later today. KIC could not yet learn about other possible casualties in the village of Fush&- Kosova and Obiliqi.

[04] 8-Year-Old Albanian Boy Dies of Wounds, Another Critically Wounded

It was impossible to offer him medical assistance, as the village has been under total siege by Serb forces, local sources said.

Meanwhile, reports said Hajrullah Konjuhi (56), likewise resident of Lismir, is in s serious condition after wounds he received today, and the impossibility of offering him medical aid in the sealed off area.

It has been reported that Fehmi Ismajli (36), a worker in Dobrosell& mine, was wounded while on his way back home from work.

Cook: Dr Rugova Is the Legitimate Leader of Kosova Albanians PRISHTINA, June 29 (KIC) - Asked by reporters in Luxembourg today, June 29, whether he supported the U.S. position that the KLA [Kosova Liberation Army] should now be included in peace talks on the future of Kosova, British Foreign Secretary Robin Cook said: "I think it very important that we do achieve first of all a period of peace in Kosovo which will enable negotiations to proceed, and secondly negotiations between both Belgrade and Pristina. Plainly those talks would have to make sure we include those who represents all shade of Kosovo opinion. But I would say that Dr Rugova is the elected and legitimate head of the Kosovo Albanians and only two months ago the KLA did try and organise a boycott of the elections and an overwhelming majority of the Kosovo Albanians went to the polls and did elect Dr Rugova.

He is the leader of the Kosovo Albanians and he is the man with whom we have been dealing."

The European Union (EU) Council of Foreign Ministers has been meeting in Luxembourg today, Kosova being among the issues on the agenda.

[05] Sharply Deteriorating Situation in Obiliq Monday

Fresh Serb forces have been deployed in Obiliq today morning too.

A busload of Serb policemen came from Prishtina in the town today.

Serb policemen in combat fatigue have been positioned in key-places in the town, including the court of a local primary school.

Beside Serb troops, armed Serb civilians have been reported roaming on the streets of Obiliq. Some such Serbs blockaded today a road near the "Hasan Tahsini" secondary school, harassing local population.

Local Serb population was seen over the past days as being supplied with more armament and ammunition in the local Serb police station in Obliqi, LDK activists said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the area around Dradhishta village has been packed with Serb troops. Serb police and army backed up by heavy armament have been dug in all over the area.

[06] Serbs Open Machine-Gun Fire on Bus in Skenderaj

Sources in Skenderaj said this incident followed an attack by yet unknown gunmen on a Serb police convoy from the fields outside the village earlier.

Two men and a woman in the bus received bullet wounds, and many others were injured by smashed glasses. LDK sources in Skenderaj named one of the wounded Albanians as Musli Bajraktari (57), resident of Klina e Ep&rme village.

Sources in Skenderaj said Serb police on an armored vehicle opened fire on Albanian houses on both sides of the road at Terrnac and Klina villages, Sunday afternoon. Halim Avdiu (47) was seriously wounded in his courtyard in Klina village, whereas a girl whose identity is still unknown was slightly wounded in Terrnac.

[07] Serbs Set Ablaze 12 Albanian Houses in Skenderaj Village

The Bujku newspaper reporter in Skenderaj said at around 13:00 hrs yesterday the Serbs opened indiscriminate fire from machine guns on Albanian farmsteads. The Serbs advanced later in the direction of T&rrnac village, setting ablaze 12 houses of Albanians there.

The Serb forces operation in the area lasted until at around 17:30, when members of the resistance forces, the Liberation Army of Kosova, started firing back on the Serb troops, Bujku said.

The newspaper said a local Albanian from Klina e Ep&rme village, Nezir Bajraktari (50), was wounded Sunday morning. Bajraktari was hit with a bullet fired from Serb police at a checkpoint near Skenderaj.

[08] No Confirmation on the Killing of Two Albanians in Klina

The local chapter of the CDHRF and the Information Commission of the LDK in Klina, which reported on the alleged killing, said later that there was no definitive confirmation on the killing of the two young Albanians.

In the aftermath of yesterday's attack of Serbian forces, the village of Drenoc in Klina is till sealed off. Therefore, the extent of damage or casualty toll cannot be established for sure.

Kosova Information Center

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