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Kosova Daily Report #1540, 98-09-02
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1540
Prishtina, 2 September 1998
CONTENTS
[01] Serb Attack against Prizren Suburbs and Villages Continued Overnight
and Today
[02] One Albanian Killed, One Wounded in Tusus Suburbs on Tuesday
[03] Serb Forces Renew Shelling of Senik, One Albanian Killed and Two
Wounded Tuesday
[04] President Rugova Receives Ambassador Hill
[05] Clinton Says 'Interim Settlement' to Kosova Issue Should Be Pursued
[06] Volatile Situation in Prizren, Many Wounded, Thousand on the Move
[07] Another Albanian, Wounded Monday, Dies in Rusinovc Village of Lipjan
[08] Over 400,000 Albanians Uprooted in Kosova in Half a Year
[09] Five Albanians Arrested in Serb Police Checkpoint at Bellacerk&
[01] Serb Attack against Prizren Suburbs and Villages Continued Overnight
and Today
Reportedly, the bodies of 7 killed persons were taken to the morgue last
evening.
Around 20,000 have fled their homes, half of them living rough in the
open.
PRISHTINA, Sept (KIC) - Overnight and today (Wednesday) morning Serb
attacks continued against the Tusus suburbs of Prizren and the villages of
Lubi^evc, Leskovec, Lez, Kushnin, Jeshkov&, Ho^& e Qytetit, Billush& and
Poslish, which are located alongside the Prizren - Zhur roadway.
An unspecified number of Albanians were killed and wounded yesterday
(Tuesday).
Unconfirmed reports said the bodies of 7 killed persons were taken to the
Prizren hospital morgue at 19:00 hrs yesterday.
LDK activists in Prizren told the KIC today shelling could be heard and the
houses in flames seen in the villages some 7 km away from Prizren, the main
southern town in Kosova.
The Serb attack has been going on today, and Serb troop reinforcements sent
into the area in the morning, local sources said.
The Albanian population has been fleeing the attacked area. Some 10,000
people fled the Tusus and Bajram Curri neighborhoods of Prizren and sought
refuge in other parts of the town.
Up to 50 people were huddled into a family last night, LDK activists said.
There are people seeking shelter today, too.
The situation of some 10,000 inhabitants of the villages of Lubi^evc,
Leskovec, Lez, Kushnin, Jeshkov&, Ho^& e Qytetit (the biggest village in
the municipality), Billush& and Poslish, who have not been able to reach
the town of Prizren, is reported to be extremely difficult. They have
sought shelter in the wooded areas and are being held surrounded by Serb
forces concentrated in Opoj&, in the Cvilen hillside and along the Prizren-
Zhur-Dragash roadway.
Sources from Prizren said international monitors have been obstructed from
having access to the attacked area.
[02] One Albanian Killed, One Wounded in Tusus Suburbs on Tuesday
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - An Albanian, Reshat Berisha (50), was killed and
another wounded during Serb attack against the Tusus suburbs of the town of
Prizren yesterday (Tuesday), local sources said.
The wounded Albanian, whose name has not been made known, was a native of
Ho^a e Qytetit village.
Sources from Prizren said Reshat Berisha was killed in the morning hours,
while on his way back home.
[03] Serb Forces Renew Shelling of Senik, One Albanian Killed and Two
Wounded Tuesday
16 Albanians killed, 45 wounded in Senik last week PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) -
In the afternoon and evening hours yesterday (Tuesday), Serb forces
positioned in Kle^ka village shelled the village of Senik, the municipality
of Suhareka, killing one and wounding two native Albanians.
LDK sources from Suhareka said Skender Jonuzaj (30) was killed, whereas
Genc Ramaj (13) and Lindita Ramaj (f, 23), all residents of Senik.
It was in Senik village late last week that 16 Albanian refugees were
killed and 45 wounded when Serb forces shelled the population camping out
in the wooded hillsides.
Because of repeated Serb attacks, the local population and the refugees
fled their homes and makeshift camps and made for Ngucat village.
The small village of Ngucat, municipality of Malisheva, is now home to 12,
000 displaced people. They are surrounded by Serb forces there, and without
food and medical supplies, but also adequate clothes for the onset of
autumn.
Meanwhile, sources from Malisheva said the population of the village of
Lladrovc, 1,500 plus 2,300 refugees, has been in extremely desperate
humanitarian situation.
No humanitarian relief has reached the village, which is sealed off by Serb
forces.
Local Albanian activists urged for international and domestic NGOs to step
in with provisions, food and medical supplies, to avert a disaster there.
[04] President Rugova Receives Ambassador Hill
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Dr.
Ibrahim Rugova received today Chris Hill, the U.S. envoy for Kosova,
intermediator in the negotiations between Prishtina and Belgrade.
In a press release, President Rugova's office said Rugova and Hill
discussed the possibilities of reaching an interim arrangement between
Prishtina and Belgrade to stabilize the situation in Kosova.
"This arrangement would last for three years and would aim at stabilizing
the overall situation in Kosova and the functioning of institutions. Thus,
the preconditions for a lasting solution to the status of Kosova would be
created.", the press release read.
President Rugova demanded that Serb armed actions in Kosova stop
immediately, and called for an urgent international intervention to return
the displaced people back to their homes.
[05] Clinton Says 'Interim Settlement' to Kosova Issue Should Be Pursued
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - Speaking at a joint press conference at the end
of the summit meeting with Russian President Yeltsin in Moscow on Wednesday,
U.S. President Bill Clinton said Kosova was discussed within the framework
of the foreign policy agenda.
In his introductory remarks, Clinton said: "First and foremost, [we
discussed] the need to continue to strengthen the peace in Bosnia, and to
look for a peaceful solution in Kosovo, where the humanitarian situation is
now quite grave. We agreed that the Serbian government must stop all
repressive actions against the civilian populations, allow the relief
organizations immediate and full access to those in need, and pursue an
interim settlement."
In reply to a question regarding the significance of the Nato- Russia and
U.S./Russia relations, President Clinton said the Bosnian war would not
have been ended "had it not been for the leadership of Russia and the
partnership between NATo and Russia."
It simply would not have happened in the way it is, in the way that we
enforced harmony in the region (Bosnia). But similarly, we have got to work
together in Kosovo to prevent another Bosnia from occurring.", the U.S.
President concluded.
[06] Volatile Situation in Prizren, Many Wounded, Thousand on the Move
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - The village of Lez in Prizren has been leveled to
the ground in the wake of Serb offensive today morning, the local LDK
chapter in Prizren said.
A couple of suburbs of Prizren and the villages of Lez, Lubi^evc, Leskovec,
Kushnin, Jeshkov&, Ho^& e Qytetit, Billush& and Poslish, which are located
alongside the Prizren - Zhur roadway came under a heavy Serb forces
overnight and today morning.
An unspecified number of Albanians were killed and wounded and bodies of 7
killed persons were taken to the Prizren hospital morgue at 19:00 hrs
yesterday. [Serb regime sources said 15 Albanians were killed by Serb
troops in the area yesterday].
At least five Albanians were reported wounded at Leskovec village, said LDK
information Commission in Prizren this aftrenoon, noting that it was unable
to confirm their identity yet.
Sources said that a large number of Albanians rounded up by Serb forces
over the past 24 hours in Prizren and the adjacent villages were being held
in custody today aftrenoon.
Witnesses said they had seen a lorryload of men, women and children driving
in the direction of the jail in Prizren this morning.
The area in Tusus neighborhood and the village of V&rrini region villages -
Ho^& e Qytetit, Jeshkov&, Billush&, Poslisht, Lez, Kushnin, Lybeqev& e
Leskovec - have been tightly sealed off by Serb troops. A resident who
managed to get out of the siege said at least 15,000 have been one the move
in panic, knowing not where to go or what to do.
Witnesses told the LDK chapter in Prizren that scores of Albanians have
been maltreated in the street of Prizren last evening and today. Besides
Serb troops, members of the Serb paramilitary units, including Arkan's
"Tigers", were involved in the campaign, they claimed.
[07] Another Albanian, Wounded Monday, Dies in Rusinovc Village of Lipjan
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - Fatime Sinani (60), resident of Rusinovc village
of Lipjan, 30 km west of Prishtina, died today from the wounds she
sustained during the Serb attack agianst her village on Monday.
Four Albanians died and at least 9 were seriously wounded in Rusinoc on
Monday evening when Serbs launched a heavy artillery attack against the
Albanian community there.
Abdyl Sinani (37), Ganimet Sinani (27), local residents of Rusinoc, and
Besim Osmani (20) and Hajrije Osmani (f, 64), residents of the neighboring
village of Fushtica, who were sheltered there, died shortly after their
house was shelled, while Lutfi Neziri (17), Liman Sinani (60), Afrim Sinani
(33), Mentor Sinanin (18), Fatime Sinani (f, 60), Lumnije Sinani (f, 24),
and Halit Shurdiqi (23), all of them local residents of Rusinoc village,
were wounded.
[08] Over 400,000 Albanians Uprooted in Kosova in Half a Year
PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC) - At least 417.483 persons have been uprooted in
Kosova since the break-out of armed conflicts in February, the Sector for
Emigration and Refugees of the Democratic League of Kosova (LDK) said
today.
A report circulated today by the LDK Sector said the Serb aggression so far
has been concentrated in the regions and municipalities of Klina, Gjakova,
Gllogovc, De^an, Sk&nderaj ('Srbica'), Malisheva, Rahoveci ('Orahovac'),
Peja, Suhareka, Shtime, Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Fush&-Kosova, Obiliq, Ferizaj
and Prizren. (Kosova has 28 territorial-administrative units -
municipalities.) As many as 391 villages/hamlets have been targeted by the
Serb seven-month old offensive, 266 being shelled or bombarded. 257
settlements (towns, villages, hamlets) have been completely abandoned by
the local population during or in the wake of Serb attacks, the LDK
Refugees Sector said. The majority of the displaced persons have sought
shelter in relatively safer parts of Kosova, while others have crossed to
Albania, Montenegro, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Bosnia and even
fled to several West European countries.
According to estimates of Kosova groups and agencies where refugees from
Kosova have been sheltered, around 20,000 have been registered in Albania,
16.403 in Ulqin, 7837 in Plav& and Guci: 7.837, 8.740 Rozhaj&, 2.204 in Tuz
(all these places in the neighboring republic of Montenegro).
In Kosova, most of the internally displaced persons have been crammed in
the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Ferizaj, Prizreni, and
Prishtina. In some of the municipalities, over 50 per cent of the
population have move out, the LDK Sector for Emigration and Refugees said.
[09] Five Albanians Arrested in Serb Police Checkpoint at Bellacerk&
4 members of a family arrested in village of Shtime PRISHTINA, Sept 2 (KIC)
- LDK sources in Prizren said five Albanians have been arrested today in a
Serb police checkpoint at Bellacerk& village of Rahovec ('Orahovac').
The arrested have been named as Smajl Bellaqa from Bellac&rk&, Fadil
Krasniqi from Krush& e Madhe, Halit Kabashi (60) from Opterush&, Kapllan
Hoti (28) from Ratkoc village, and Fahri Gashi (26) from Gremnik village of
Klina.
No other details surrounding their arrest have been made known.
Meanwhile, four members of an Albanian family were arrested today in the
Godanc i Posht&m village of Shtime.
A police expedition raided the family at 6:30 hrs and arrested Basri Emini,
Zenel Emini, Ridvan Emini and his wife, local sources said.
Kosova Information Center
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