Kosova Daily Report #1479, 98-07-03

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1479
Prishtina, 3 July 1998

First Edition: 10:30 CET
Second Edition: 12:30 CET
Third Edition: 16:30 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Forces Launch Huge Offensive against Kijeva and Other Klina Villages Friday Morning

[02] LDK Sources Confirm Serb Take-over of Kijeva, Heavy Offensive against Many Villages

[03] Heavy Blast in Downtown Prishtina Today Morning

[04] Holbrooke Arrives in Prishtina Saturday

[05] President Rugova's Press Conference

[06] Fierce Fighting Reported in Klina Villages Today

[07] Albanians start filtering back to their homes in Grabovc and Sibofc

[08] Disguised Serb-speaking Men Stab Two Albanians in Their Bedroom in Obiliq

[09] Albanian House Fired Upon in Milloshev& near Obiliq

[01] Serb Forces Launch Huge Offensive against Kijeva and Other Klina Villages Friday Morning

The Serb forces attack in the area was kicked off at around 5.a.m today, the Information Commission of the LDK chapter in Klina said.

Enormous Serb troops backed up by tanks, armored vehicles and trucks trailing high-caliber cannons, began advancing from Klina towards the villages of Gllarev&, Rigjev&, Zab&rgj&, Cerovik, west of Kijeva early in the morning today. It is apparent that Serb forces are intent on advancing toward Kijeva and the adjacent villages, the Commission said at around 8:30 today.

Echo of huge detonations coming from the villages around Kijeva could be heard in the town of Klina itself, the local LDK chapter said. The villages have been attacked from Serb forces convoys moving southward as well as from the Serb bases at Dollc and Pogragja. Serb/Yugoslav army (VJ) helicopters are flying overhead the area, the LDK said.

The US envoy Ambassador Richard Holbrooke has described Kijeva as he most dangerous place in Europe. Speaking to reporters in Prishtina last week Holbrooke said that checkpoints surround checkpoints, and people are surrounded by those checkpoints.

The main Kosova axis connecting Kosova's capital Prishtina with Peja in western Kosova has been closed for over two months now.

Kijeva is about 40 km west of Prishtina, on the left side of the highway.

Meanwhile, the Serb media Center said today that the Serb police 'took control over Kijeva and its vicinity' today morning at around 7:30.

KIC could not yet learn about the accurate extent of the today's Serb offensive or possible casualties.

[02] LDK Sources Confirm Serb Take-over of Kijeva, Heavy Offensive against Many Villages

Speaking from a location 2 km away from Kijeva, the eye-witness said four Serbian tanks advanced into Kijeva from the direction of Gjurgjevik.

At 11:00 hrs, the fighting was going on around the village of Stapanic&, near Kijeva, he told the KIC by phone.

Serbian military and police have been attacking with heavy arms, armored vehicles and tanks, while Serb military helicopters flew overhead the area.

After having advanced into and taken over Kijeva, Serb forces extended their operations against several villages, having surrounded them.

When the Serb attack was launched very early in the morning today, most of the population - women, children and the elderly - fled their villages seeking refuge in outlying villages.

Both Albanians and Serb forces are said to have suffered killed and wounded, reports said, failing to offer detailed information on the extent of material damage or the casualty toll.

This area in central Kosova has been a scene of fierce fighting between Serbian troops and local Albanian resistance forces in the past few months.

Today's fighting was the heaviest, the local sub-chapter of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) in Skenderaj ('Srbica') said, confirming that high-caliber cannons, Katjusha rockets, as well as military air jets and helicopter gunships were used by Serb forces.

The CDHRF said in a report at 11:30 over 50 Serb tanks and a great number of armored vehicles were involved in the Serb attack against Albanian villages in central Kosova today.

[03] Heavy Blast in Downtown Prishtina Today Morning

There were no casualties. At least three cars suffered damage, as well as the "Vocar" drugstore, under Serb management. A huge mushroom-like smoke was seen flying to the skies on the back side of the block of flats in which Vocar is located.

Serb police arrived in the scene half an hour later, although there is a police booth in the very location. Apparently there were no police in the booth at the time of the explosion.

The blast was so heavy, many random passersby far off from the scene started running away.

Nobody has taken responsibility for today's explosion.

[04] Holbrooke Arrives in Prishtina Saturday

Ambassador Holbrooke, who was on a trip to Kosova only last week, will hold talks with the President of the Republic of Kosova, Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, as well as representatives of a number of political parties.

[05] President Rugova's Press Conference

He reiterated that the best solution is an independent and neutral Kosova, with all guarantees for local Serbs, recalling that an interim international protectorate has been demanded by the Kosova leadership pending a lasting solution.

Speaking during a press conference in Prishtina today (Friday), President Rugova said the situation in Kosova continues to be extremely dangerous amidst unrelenting Serbian military and police attacks on Kosova villages.

He denounced Serbian attacks and pressed for an urgent international intervention to halt the most recent Serbian offensive against Albanian settlements in Kosova. "The unprotected people of Kosova needs international protection" in the face of this, President Rugova said.

Serbian military/police attacks on the villages of Bardh i Madh ('Belacevac'), Lismir ('Dobri Dub') and Hade in the municipalities of Fush&- Kosova and Obiliqi resulted in the displacement of thousands of inhabitants, Rugova said, adding that four Albanians have been killed and there has been huge material damage.

The Kosova leader told reports Serbian shelling of other parts of the country has been continuing. "A huge offensive has been launched by Serbian forces against a number of villages near Kijeva, as well as in the small town of Kijeva", on the Prishtina- Peja highway, Rugova said.

Asked by a Serb radio reporter in Prishtina as to whether he would accept to serve as a political representative of the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army), Rugova said he is the President of the Republic of Kosova, and, thus, he represents all the Kosova citizens. He added, though, that the Albanian groups of armed resistance, which have emerged in response to the Serbian onslaught, should be cautious and bear responsibility for what they do on the ground.

[06] Fierce Fighting Reported in Klina Villages Today

PRISHTINA, July 3 (KIC) - The Gremnik village of Klina, about 10 miles west of Kijeva, was a site of fierce fighting for several hours today morning, sources in Klina said.

Witnesses told the LDK chapter in Klina that Serb forces began bombarding Gremnik village at around 9:00 hrs, before trying to to advance into the village itself. By 13:00 the Serb forces could not still break through a strong checkpoint held by local Albanian forces in the vicinity of the village, sources said.

Today morning, Serb forces took over the Kijeva village, 40 km west of Prishtina. The village was attacked by huge Serb troops backed up by tanks and heavy armament advancing since early morning hours from their positions near Klina.

First reports from Gremnik village at around noon spoke of casualties on both sides, the Serb troops and the local resistance forces.

Sources named two Albanians - Muj& Gashi and Nezir Berisha - wounded during the clashes in Gremnik today.

There were casualties and material losses on the Serb side too, an LDK activist said. Two Serb vehicles were destroyed, he added. The LDK activist noted that there were still women and children in Gremnik this morning and it is feared they could be victims of the Serb shelling. Members of Liberation Army of Kosova (U^K) were making efforts to evacuate them from another side of the village, he said.

Sources said that fighting around Gremnik village was real tough.

The Serbs attacked Albanian positions in the village with mortars from armored vehicles and tanks, but the Albanians were able to sustain the attack until early afternoon hours.

At around midday, the Serb forces began bombarding the neighboring villages of K&puz and Dollov&, sources said.

The KIC could not obtain credible reports about the extent of the unfolding Serb attack in these villages or possible casualties.

Meanwhile, the LDK Information Commission in Klina said a local Albanian from Cerovik village, who was wounded by Serbs last week, died Thursday. Haxhi Syl& Ukaj (61) received fatal wounds from a Serb army helicopter attacking the village on 25 June, the Commission said.

[07] Hade Still Sealed Off by Serb Forces

PRISHTINA, July 3 (KIC) - Hajredin Mjeku, head of the LDK Information Commission in Obiliq, said he toured today the villages of Grabofc, Shipitull& and Sibofc, as well as the area in the near vicinity of the village of Hade.

The LDK official said at around 2:30 a.m. today, the sound gunfire was heard in the direction of the village of Lajthisht& (Leskosic').

In the village of Hade a Serb armoured vehicle has been positioned near the village cemetery, in the Mirena family compound.

The villages is under Serb police control, Mr. Mjeku said, adding that Serb snipers have been targeting those who might dare approach the village.

According to eye-witnesses, on July 1st Hajdin Preniqi (70) entered the village of Hade and his fate remains unknown. Unknown is also the fate of Selim Preniqi and Jetullah Preniqi, who have entered their native village. At around 19:00 hrs on Thursday, a police armoured personnel carrier was seen in front of Jetullah Preniqi's house.

The 70-year-old Jahir Shala, resident of Hade, died yesterday because of lack of medicines. He was buried in Grabovc i Ep&rm instead of in his native village, which is sealed off by Serb forces.

Mr. Mjeku told the KIC the inhabitants, who had fled earlier, started going back to their homes in the Grabovc i Ep&rm and Sibofc villages.

There have been no fresh reports from the village of Bardh i Madh.

Serbian forces said they recaptured the open-pit coal mine in the village on Wednesday.

[08] Disguised Serb-speaking Men Stab Two Albanians in Their Bedroom in Obiliq

The LDK chapter in Obiliq said three to four armed and disguised persons broke into the house of Habib Muja stabbing Mr. Muja and another person, whose name has not been unveiled.

The assaulters spoke in Serbian, the LDK chapter said.

The two Albanians were stabbed while asleep. They are both being treated in the Prishtina hospital.

Sources in Obiliq have said unfamiliar Serbs, presumably from other towns, have been seen roaming the streets of the small town since last week, in advance to the Serb offensive in the area of the open-pit coal mine in Bardh i Madh ('Belacevac'), namely the villages of Bardh i Madh, Hade and Lajthishte.

[09] Albanian House Fired Upon in Milloshev& near Obiliq

The bullets caused material damage in the house, and hit a bus owned by the Kosova Electricity Supply.

In this village, just like in Obiliq, Plemetin, Palaj ('Vodica'), etc, local armed Serbs organize night guards.

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