Kosova Daily Report #1495, 98-07-19
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1495
Prishtina, 19 July 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Assassination Attempt on the KIC Head, Enver Maloku
[02] Heavy Fighting Resume in Rahovec and Adjacent Villages
[03] Serbian Military Offensive in Border Area Villages Continues
[04] Albanian Girl (12) and Boy (19) Killed by Serbs in Suhareka
[05] Albanian Girl Killed, Three Wounded, in Serb Shelling of Malisheva
Village
[06] Overnight Fighting in Three De^an Villages
[07] Serbian Military Steps Up Activities in Kosova
[08] Armed Serb Civilians Attack Hamidi Village of Obiliq
[09] The KIC and LDK Condemn the Attempt on the Life of Maloku
[01] Assassination Attempt on the KIC Head, Enver Maloku
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - The Kosova Information Center (KIC) head, Mr.
Enver Maloku, was the target of an assassination attempt yesterday
(Saturday) evening in Prishtina, capital of Kosova.
From a 2-meter distance, a gunman shot a bullet from a handgun in the
direction of Mr. Maloku, while the latter was descending the staircase to
the entrance of his home in a block of flats in the Bregu i Diellit
neighborhood in Prishtina. Luckily, the bullet missed the target.
Mr. Maloku said he was going to the entrance of his flat when he spotted
two men descending the staircase from upper stories. One of the men made
the attempt on his life. The assassin shot a bullet from his gun, targeting
Maloku who was descending towards the front door of his basement flat. The
gunman had camouflaged his gun in a white bag, he said.
Mr. Maloku said, luckily for him, the bullet missed the target, because it
had hit one bar of the banisters.
The assassin was about to shoot a second time, Mr. Maloku said. He could
not say what made the assassin not press ahead with his aim: his (Maloku's)
instant verbal reaction, or a sudden thing happened in the mind of the
gunman suggesting the circumstances were not favorable for the crime. The
gunman run away in an unknown direction eventually.
The spent bullet (7.65 mm) was found in the spot, and the sign of the
bullet can be seen on both the handrail and the wall.
Enver Maloku said the gunman was of a middle height. He was wearing a dark-
colored jacket and hat.
The sound of the gunshot was heard in the block of flats where Maloku's
home is as well as in the nearby area, causing fear in the community.
An eye-witness said he had spotted earlier two men moving about the block
of flats, one of whom was a Serb.
Serb crimes have been carried in this part of the city of Prishtina.
In the spring of 1997, an Albanian student, Armend Daci, was killed by a
Serb hand. (See related item below, The KIC and LDK Condemn the Attempt on
the Life of Maloku)
[02] Heavy Fighting Resume in Rahovec and Adjacent Villages
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - Heavy fighting between Serbian forces and the
local Albanian resistance units and U^K has continued in the streets of
Rahovec ('Orahovac') today (Sunday) morning.
Rahovec, a town 60 km south-west of Kosova's capital Prishtina, has been
the scene of fierce fighting since Friday afternoon.
Fadil Gashi, a Rilindja/Bujku correspondent in Rahovec, told the KIC that
the fighting has continued today in the town of Rahovec itself as well as
in several outlying villages.
Early in the morning today, Serb forces launched four mortars against the
Drenoc village, killing at least two and wounding several other local
residents, Gashi said. He named the two killed Albanians as Ms Emine
Krasniqi (21) and Serafet Krasniqi (25).
Arsim Krasniqi (24), Ms Bademe Krasniqi (18), and Abaz Qerimi (50)
sustained serious wounds, he said, adding that it is feared the casualty
figures in this overpopulated village are higher. Many people who had fled
Rahovec have found shelter in Drenoc.
Another Rahovec village, Bellac&rk&, came under heavy Serb fire during the
whole course of morning today (Sunday). Clouds of smoke are billowing from
many smoldering houses there, sources told the KIC around midday. The
village was being bombarded from two Serb positions - at Gradishi hill and
Dermjan village in the neighboring municipality of Gjakova - witnesses
said.
Electricity has been cut to the town of Rahovec since Friday evening. Phone
lines have been cut to the area since Saturday morning. It is feared the
Serb forces have committed large-scale massacres of civilian population in
parts of Rahovec.
Referring to accounts by residents of Rahovec, the LDK chapter in the
neighboring town of Prizren said heavy fighting was going on in the area
still around midday.
The LDK Information Commission in Prizren could not confirm accounts about
casualty-toll in the two-day fighting in Rahovec.
Meanwhile, the LDK Information Commission in Rahovec said today afternoon
it could learn that at least three Albanians have been killed in the
fighting in the town so far. One of the victims is Ibrahim Cena, while the
identity of the two others remains unknown, the Commission said.
An Albanian, Gani Pa^arizi (31), killed yesterday in Rahovac, was reported
buried today in his native Lubizhda village of Malisheva.
Firefighting was also reported today in the village of Reti, Opterush& and
Zo^isht&, near Rahovec.
Three mortars fell only a few meters far from a bus full of passengers in
Brestovc village today morning. People fleeing the area and moving to
Prizren were aborad the bus. No account about possible casualties in this
village has been available to the KIC yet.
Two residents of Brestovc village - Nuredin Elshani (28) and Shyqri Orllati
(38) - were arrested by the Serbian police at a checkpoint in front of
Landovica motel near Prizren, the local LDK chapter said.
[03] Serbian Military Offensive in Border Area Villages Continues
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - The offensive of the Serbian military and police
against the villages of the Reka e Keqe region along the border with
Albania continued last night and today, the LDK Information Commission in
Gjakova reported.
Considerable material damage was reported, but no casualties.
Serbian forces have shelled the villages of Nec, Smolic&, and other
outlying villages up to Junik, in neighboring De^an municipality.
Increasingly, Serbian helicopter gunships have been reported involved in
the recent attacks. They have been flying low over the town of Gjakova,
too.
Local resistance forces led by the U^K have been successfully repelling
Serbian attacks, local sources said.
Meanwhile, local sources said heavy fighting between Serbian military and
police troops and local Albanian resistance forces in the Drini vally
villages. The sound of detonations in this area, which outlies towards the
town of Rahovec ('Orahovac'), can be heard in the town of Gjakova, and the
billowing smoke from smoldering buildings seen there.
The Gjakova-Prizren road has been blockaded by Serb police forces.
Reports from Gjakova said the body of a 53-year-old Albanian shepherd, Abaz
Hoti, was spotted near a Serb police checkpoint in the Piskota suburbs of
Gjakova last evening. The police has not allowed the family pick up his
body.
The dozen or so members of the extended Jetishi family, arrested three days
ago, are reported still in Serb custody.
The population of Gjakova faces both the Serb enemy and its food and
commercial items' blockade, observers in Gjakova said.
[04] Albanian Girl (12) and Boy (19) Killed by Serbs in Suhareka
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - At least two residents of Suhareka municipality
were killed during repeated Serb shelling of Albanian farmsteads over the
past two days.
The LDK chapter in Suhareka said a 12-year-old girl, Raza Palushi, was
killed Friday evening when a Serb launched mortar landed on her house
courtyard in Budakova.
The LDK office said the village of Krushic& came under a heavy machine-gun
and mortar fire Saturday evening.
A 19-year-old villager, Bujar Buzhala (19), was fatally wounded by
shrapnel.
[05] Albanian Girl Killed, Three Wounded, in Serb Shelling of Malisheva
Village
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - A 16-year-old girl Vlor& Zogaj was killed in her
house courtyard Saturday evening during a heavy shelling by Serb forces of
the village of Mleqan.
Sources in Malisheva said two local women, Hajrie Zogaj (20) and Sevdie
Zogaj (45), a 53-year-old man Ymer Gashi, and a child were wounded in
Mleqan yesterday evening.
Witnesses were quoted as saying that Serb forces garrisoned in a base in
Kijeva shelled for over three hours (6 through 9 p.m.) last evening the
village of Bubavec and Mleqan.
The KIC sources could not learn whether there were any casualties in
Bubavec village.
Sporadic firefighting was reported yesterday evening around another village
of Malisheva, Shkoza.
[06] Overnight Fighting in Three De^an Villages
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - Fighting between Serbian military/police troops
and local Albanian resistance forces in the municipality of De^an has been
going on mostly during night-time in the past week, local source said.
The LDK Information Commission in De^an said heavy overnight fighting
occurred in the villages of Prejlep, Carrabreg i Posht&m and Strellc i
Ep&rm.
There have been no reported casualties. Six houses, two in each village,
were burned down last night, sources said.
The local Albanian resistance forces, aided by the U^K units, have been
repelling Serb attacks.
A source said a Serb policeman was killed by his own superiors when he
tried to desert in the village of Strellc i Ep&rm last night, The
municipality of De^an has seen a relatively quiet day today, sources said.
[07] Serbian Military Steps Up Activities in Kosova
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - Two Serb helicopters flew over the town of
Ferizaj ('Urosevac') in the morning today, LDK sources said.
One of the two helicopters had a Red Cross sign and flew in the direction
of the village of Jezerc, whereas the other was a military gunship, which
eventually headed to the Brezovica mountains, sources added.
Heavy Serb military and police forces left Ferizaj yesterday and today
heading to Prizren.
Two Serb army convoys with soldiers, paramilitaries and policemen on board
of armored vehicles roamed about the town of Ferizaj before setting out for
Prizren.
Heavy Serb army hardware has been deployed in the compounds of the Serb
special police units in Hajvalia, municipality of Prishtina, in the past
several nights.
Local sources said the combat equipment located in Hajvali is then
transported to the areas in Kosova where Serbs have embarked on
military/police actions against Albanian villages.
Heavy cannons and other weaponry was unloaded on Friday in Hajvali.
Serb police and military helicopters have been flying low over residential
areas in the village of Hjavali, local sources reported.
[08] Armed Serb Civilians Attack Hamidi Village of Obiliq
PRISHTINA, July (KIC) - Armed Serb civilians attacked for a couple of hours
the hamidi village of Obiliq, on Saturday evening.
Sources in Obiliq said Serb from the neighboring village of Prilluzha and
Plemetin opened fire from snipers and machine guns on Hamidi before and
after midnight yesterday.
The LDK chapter in Obliqi said it could not learn still if there were
possible casualties in the Albanian inhabited village of Hamidi.
Most of the villagers of Hamidi have fled their homes Saturday, in the wake
of a Serb attack the previous night. The village was shelled by Serb forces
on Friday causing immense damage on many houses.
Serb Police Loots Households in Lismir, Ill-treats Residents
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - Serbian police have been looting Albanian houses
in the village of Lismir ("Dobri Dub"), in the municipality of Fush& Kosova
('Kosovo Polje'), which has been under a Serb military/police siege since
lats month, local sources said.
The 17 Albanians, mostly elderly people, who have stayed behind after all
the other Albanians abandoned their homes have been ill- treated by
police.
Serb forces have been reported in looting sweeps, with appliances,
household items, but also domestic cattle being taken away by Serbs.
Five Serb policemen ill-treated Mehmet Ob&rtinca (46), a resident of Lismir,
yesterday. He received grave injuries in the head and other parts of the
body, when police assaulted him in his own house courtyard.
Mr. Ob&rtinca had to seek medical treatment for his injuries.
[09] The KIC and LDK Condemn the Attempt on the Life of Maloku
PRISHTINA, July 19 (KIC) - The Kosova Information Center (KIC) and the
Democratic League of Kosova (LDK), the biggest political party in Kosova, a
senior member of which Mr. Enver Maloku is, condemned today in the
strongest terms the attempt on his life which occurred Saturday evening in
Prishtina.
Given the stature of Mr. Maloku as a leading political journalist in Kosova,
as a man dedicated to the Kosovar bid for democracy and independence, the
KIC said "the unknown gunman wears the notorious face of the Serb
services".
Enver Maloku was a prominent culture journalist with the Television of
Prishtina (TVP) till its closure by the Serb regime in 1990.
He has been a staff writer of the KIC since 1991, when it was actually
formed, and its head since 1993.
The Kosova Information Center (KIC) has served as national news agency for
Kosova, and Mr. Maloku's contribution to this has been enormous.
"The pursuit of Kosovar independence by peaceful means and a democratic
order is the thread that links Maloku's political journalism in the past
eight years", the KIC said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Presidency of the LDK said in a statement that the attempt
on the life of E. Maloku, a member of the LDK General Council, is evidence
to a dangerously deteriorating situation in Kosova with regard to the free
expression of opinion and political activism.
The LDK said the Kosova Information Center (KIC), headed by Maloku, has
given the international and domestic public a real and comprehensive
picture of the Serbian genocidal policies in Kosova.
The attempt on the life of Enver Maloku is a perfidious move to kill the
freedom of speech and hamper the flow of information on the crimes Serbia
is carrying in Kosova, the LDK said in the statement.
"The KIC and Mr. Maloku have promoted the truth on Kosova," LDK said,
adding that it was convinced that fair, accurate information is one of the
values that should be cherished and protected in Kosova.
Kosova Information Center
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