Kosova Daily Report #1585, 98-10-17

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1585
Prishtina, 17 October 1998

CONTENTS

[01] Detonations, Shooting Incidents in Prishtina and Podujeva on Friday Night

[02] 895 Albanians Slain By Serb Forces in Three Months, CDHRF Says

[03] Serb Military Movement, Repositioning Continues in Kosova

[04] Serb Forces Shell Seven Villages in Malisheva Area

[05] Four Kosovars Killed in Minefield along Kosova-Albanian Border

[01] Detonations, Shooting Incidents in Prishtina and Podujeva on Friday Night

From 23:45 through 02:30 hrs automatic arms shooting was reported in the Kodra e Trimave ('Vranjevac') neighborhood in Prishtina. The fire came from the Serb police station in the area, local sources said.

Many Albanian houses around the Serb police station in Kodra e Trimave were fired upon.

Bullets hit the doors of the house of Musa Jusufi and penetrated to his sleeping rooms. Mr. Jusufi was summoned later to police, which alleged that the fire had been opened from his house!

Bullets hit also the house of Fadil Tahiri, and a police armored car stayed for an hour near his house. An unexploded grenade was found in front of Tahiri's house today morning.

At least half a dozen Albanian houses were damaged from the shooting in Kodra e Trimave area, LDK sources said, listing the names of family heads. The house of Abdyl Makolli suffered considerable damages, with five bullets having hit his front door and six others his Renault 5 car.

Residents of Albanian houses in the close vicinity of the police station in Kodra e Trimave, virtually a 100 percent Albanian- inhabited neighborhood, fled their homes in panic last night, to return today morning.

The office of Adem Dema^i, the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) political representative, said last night's shooting spree from the Serb police station in Prishtina is evidence to the fact that Serb forces have not been withdrawing, but rather stepping up their "repressive and terrorist campaign" against the Albanian people.

Meanwhile, sources from Podujeva said three heavy detonations were heard in the town at 22:45 hrs Friday, which were followed by an hour-long automatic arms shooting in different parts of the town.

The shooting came from locations where Serb police is positioned, but also from Serb flats and houses in the town, as well as the police station in the village of Lluzhan.

An Albanian, Esat Gashi, was wounded in Podujeva, and at least seven Albanian houses and a car hit with bullets, local LDK sources said.

The houses of Latif and Skender Haliti, which are close to the Serb police station in Podujeva, were shot at and raided by police.

Maliq Jaha, resident of Podujeva, was reported arrested.

Police entered the "Lindja" clinic in Podujeva, to see for the wounded Esat Gashi, and smashed it, sources said.

The police sealed off the marketplace in Podujeva in the morning hours today. Saturday is a market day in the town. Police lifted the seal-off in the afternoon.

[02] 895 Albanians Slain By Serb Forces in Three Months, CDHRF Says

The major Kosovar human rights group said 895 Albanians were killed, executed, slaughtered and burned by Serb forces in this period. 512 Albanians were wounded, whereas 586 taken hostage, kidnapped or went missing.

More than 5,000 Albanians were illtreated in diverse fashions, and 2.197 arbitrary arrests made by Serb forces.

More than 800 Albanians were severely beaten by Serb forces, and 157 Albanian houses raided and ransacked in non-conflict areas.

42 mosques and other religious shrines were destroyed or badaly damaged by Serb forces in the past three months, the CDHRF said, which added that among the illtreated people are 195 children and 365 women.

The major Kosovar human rights group said it had information confirming that 450.000 Albanians have been displaced by the Serb offensive in Kosova this year.

[03] Serb Military Movement, Repositioning Continues in Kosova

A Serb convoy consisting of 6 tanks and 2 lorries left Ka^anik for Ferizaj Friday, too.

On Friday evening, around 22:00 hrs, a heavy Serb military convoy arrived from Shtime to Ferizaj. Serb soldiers opened automatic fire in Ferizaj.

An hour later, the convoy which consisted of 100 Serb military vehicles passed through Tankosiq village heading for Gjilan, LDK sources said.

Meanwhile, Serb military deployments and repositioning were reported elsewhere in Kosova, too, including Zhur (Prizren), Trud& (Prishtina), Mitrovica.

[04] Serb Forces Shell Seven Villages in Malisheva Area

Serb shells are said to have landed in other villages, too.

Shelling continued well into morning on Saturday, especially in Kijev&, the LDK chapter in Malisheva said.

There has been no word on casualties. Albanian houses and property were seen in flames, sources said, adding that it was impossible to obtain detailed information because the attacked area was sealed off by Serb forces.

The sound of Serb mortar and cannon fire added to the fear of displaced Albanians living rough in the open in the villages of Pagarush&, Shkoz&, Burim, etc, and spent the night in anxiety.

[05] Four Kosovars Killed in Minefield along Kosova-Albanian Border

Three of the Kosovars died on the spot, whereas the fourth, Ham&z Ukaj, died of wounds in the Albanian territory.

Mr. Ukaj said before he died they were trying to cross to Albania when they ran into the minefield. The bodies of the three killed might have been collected by Serbs, he was quoted as saying.

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