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Kosova Daily Report #1516, 98-08-09
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1516
Prishtina, 9 August 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Serbian Military Mounts Offensive against Several Villages in De^an
Area
[02] Four Albanians Slain in De^an Late Afternoon on Saturday
[03] The Bodies of Seven Killed Persons Taken to the Gjakova Town Morgue
Saturday
[04] Serbian Attacks in Gjakova Area Continue
[05] Three Albanians Killed During Serb Attacks Near Zllaku^an, Klina
[06] 46 Houses Burned in Likoc, Drenica
[07] Houses of Two Family Compounds Levelled to the Ground in Llaush&
[08] Serb Forces with Roam Istog Streets with U^K License Plates and
Patches
[09] Police Interrogates Albanians Returning to Their Homes in Gllogovc
[01] Serbian Military Mounts Offensive against Several Villages in De^an
Area
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Serbian military and police troops launched at
9:30 o'clock today (Sunday) a fierce offensive against the villages of
Lluk& e Ep&rme, Carrabreg i Posht&m, Beleg, Prejlep, Rastavic&, Baballoq
and Gramaqel, the LDK Information Commission in De^an reported.
Today's is amongst the fiercest Serb attacks in De^an area, and the
casualty toll is feared high, observers said.
In the morning hours some 110 military vehicles with heavy armament arrived
in the area, LDK sources said.
The Albanian villages are being shelled with all kinds of weapons,
including tanks and high-caliber cannons.
The sound of heavy blasts and artillery rounds can be heard from a
considerable distance, local sources said.
Besides being targeted by long range shelling, the villages are being
attacked by Serb infantry units, too, which are trying to advance into the
area.
Local Albanian forces, including the U^K, have been putting up resistance.
Excepting Carrabregu i Posht&m and parts of Prejlep, the local population
had returned a few days earlier to these villages.
They had to flee the area under attack for a second time.
Serbian forces opened fire on the fleeing population, mostly women and
children. There are feared dead amongst them, local sources said.
Meanwhile, LDK sources in Gjakova said the village of Junik was attacked
last night and today by Serb forces.
[02] Four Albanians Slain in De^an Late Afternoon on Saturday
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Four Albanians, two men and two women, were slain
by Serb forces in the town of De^an yesterday (Saturday) around 18:30, the
LDK Information Commission in Peja ('Pec') reported.
Shaban Ramosaj, Ajne Zymer Zymeraj (f) and Qaush Arif Bajraktari were
killed in Zymer Zymeraj's flat in Car Dusan street # 53/6 in De^an, whereas
Qaush's wife, around 70 years old, in a next-door flat.
LDK sources said the Albanians had been "slaughtered", but did not offer
details as to how they were killed.
The four bodies were taken yesterday to the Gjakova town morgue initially,
to be then transferred to the Peja hospital morgue.
Several hundred Albanians have been trapped in the town of De^an in the
wake of the Serbian offensive against the town and the outlying area in
late May and early June. (See related story below)
[03] The Bodies of Seven Killed Persons Taken to the Gjakova Town Morgue
Saturday
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - The bodies of seven killed Albanians, four from
De^an, two from the village of Vraniq and one from Meq& of Gjakova, were
taken yesterday (Saturday) to the town morgue in Gjakova, the LDK
Information Commission in Gjakova reported.
The four bodies from De^an were reported to be those killed in the flat of
Zymer Zymeraj in the town of De^an.
Meanwhile, the four bodies of two men and two women from De^an were taken
from Gjakova to the Peja hospital morgue.
Last evening the body of Albanian, Nek& Pajaziti from Dobrish village, who
was killed a few days earlier by Serb forces was buried only last evening,
after laying uncollected on the ground for days.
[04] Serbian Attacks in Gjakova Area Continue
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Serbian attacks against the villages of Dujak&,
Plan^or and Here^, which are located along the Gjakov&- De^an roadway,
resumed last night and today (Sunday).
Heavy Serb military and police forces, with motorized units and heavy guns,
have been concentrated in this part of Gjakova and the outlying villages in
the neighbouring municipality of De^an, local sources said.
Last night and today, Serbian attacks continued against the villages of the
Reka e Keqe region and Junik, the LDK Information Commission in Gjakova
reported.
Meanwhile, Serbian military and police forces attacked yesterday (Saturday)
afternoon the village of Vraniq in the municipality of Gjakova.
Reports said two Albanians, members of local resistance forces, were killed,
and many houses were destroyed and burned in the attack.
The attack was still going on late in the evening Saturday, when the report
from Gjakova was filed by the LDK chapter in town.
[05] Three Albanians Killed During Serb Attacks Near Zllaku^an, Klina
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Serbian forces attacked yesterday three villages
near Zllaku^an, in the municipality of Klina, in central Kosova.
The Albanian population fled the area under Serb shelling.
In the village of K&rnic& all houses have been burned and destroyed, local
LDK sources said.
In these latest Serb attacks three Albanians have been killed, Daut Bojaj
(55), Mus& Bojaj (56) and Ram& Sharka (65), the LDK Information Commission
in Klina reported.
[06] 46 Houses Burned in Likoc, Drenica
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - On Friday, 46 houses were burned, and the
elementary school and the community center were damaged or destroyed during
the Serb offensive against the village of Likoc, in the Drenica region.
Businesses in the center of the village were burned, too.
An eye-witness told the KIC the Ahmetaj family compound has been destroyed
altogether, whereas the Zabelaj family compound partially.
Sokol Oruqi (61) and Hilmi V. Kadriu (47) were killed that day by Serb
forces.
Meanwhile, sources said the bodies of two unidentified persons were
encountered carbonated in the village of Obri e Ep&rme on Thursday.
[07] Houses of Two Family Compounds Levelled to the Ground in Llaush&
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Eye-witness accounts said the houses of two huge
Albanian family compounds, Geci and Vojvoda, were burned or destroyed
completely during the Serb onslaught on the village earlier this week.
The fate of some 500-600 Albanians, reported holed up in the village of
Llaush&, is still unknown.
Immense material damage has been reported in the villages of Plluzhin& and
Tic&, too.
[08] Serb Forces with Roam Istog Streets with U^K License Plates and
Patches
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - On Friday evening, Serbian special units paraded
through the town center of Istog in four vans with U^K license plates and
wearing U^K patches.
Meanwhile, local sources said Serb police opened fire on two Albanian
houses in the village of Cerkolez on 3 August.
There was material damage, smashed windows, in the houses of Smajl and
Hajdar Arifaj, but no casualties.
The two families evacuated their homes for security concerns.
[09] Police Interrogates Albanians Returning to Their Homes in Gllogovc
PRISHTINA, Aug 9 (KIC) - Serbian police has been taking for questioning
Albanians who are returning to their homes in Gllogovc, the LDK Information
Commission in Gllogovc reported.
Two tradesman and a teacher were reported detained in their homes.
Ismet Elezi was held in custody for three days, Islam Demaku for seven
hours, whereas Besim Demaku had his ID seized and was ordered to report
back on Monday.
They were all interrogated about the U^K and political issues.
The Serb regime is apparently keen on intimidating Albanians, preventing
them from getting back home.
While all this happens, the Serb regime spreads leaflets calling for
citizens to return to their deserted homes.
Kosova Information Center
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