Kosova Daily Report #1645, 98-12-24

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

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1645
Prishtina, 24 December 1998

First Edition: 11:20 CET
Second Edition: 13:00 CET
Third Edition: 18:30 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Serbian Military and Police Troops Mount Large-Scale Attack on Podujeva Area Today

[02] Updated: Serb Attack Continuing Unabated

[03] Serbian Attack against Podujeva Villages Rages Still at Noon

[04] Latest Report: Serbian Attack Continues, Local Albanians Resist in Llapashtic&

[05] President Rugova Congratulates Catholics on Christmas

[06] Shelling Has Died Down, Sporadic Fire Heard in Podujeva Area

[07] At Least One Albanian Killed, 12 Members of a Family Reported Taken Hostage in Podujeva

[08] Police Fires Upon Bus near Podujeva

[09] One Albanian Killed, Eight Wounded by Masked People in Klina e Ep&rme Villages

[10] Serbian Forces Returning and Deploying in Kosova, State Department Spokesman Says

[11] "Attacks on Health Facilities, Doctors and Their Patients Are War Crimes"

[12] Serb Military and Police Movement in Ferizaj, Obiliq, Suhareka

[13] Serb Military Forces Deployed in V&rmic&, Prizren Area

[14] 100 Serb Policemen Crack Down on Albanian Neihgbourhood in Mitrovica

[01] Serbian Military and Police Troops Mount Large-Scale Attack on Podujeva Area Today

PRISHTINA, Dec 24 (KIC) - Heavy Serbian military and police troops launched today (Thursday) morning a large-scale attack against half a dozen Albanian villages in the municipality of Podujeva. At nine o'clock in the morning, the villages of Obran^&, Llapashtic&, Gllamnik and Burinc& were being attacked. The sound of shelling was reported heard as far as the town of Vushtrri ('Vucitrn').

An hour later, heavy Serbian forces were shelling the four villages, which are close to the town of Podujeva, as well as the villages of Konushefc and Lluzhan, about a dozen km south of Podujeva. All the villages, a 17 km long stretch under Serb attack, is situated on the right side of the Podujeva - Prishtina highway.

Columns of smoke were billowing from the Albanian Duriqi family compound in Obran^& and the Potera family compound in Llapashtic& village just after nine o'clock in the morning. Serbian tanks have advanced to the location called "Tabet e Llapashtic&s", at the edge of the town of Podujeva, adjacent to Llapashtic&.

Sources told the KIC Serb military tanks had taken combat positions, aiming at Llapashtic&, where U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) has positions of its own. Serb policemen have been travelling the Podujeva - Llapashtic& roadway, past the local brick factory, and engaged in shooting.

A large part of the area has been sealed off. The crossroads linking the town of Podujeva and K&rpimeh village, ten km north of the town, has been blocked by heavy Serb police forces. Shooting has been reported in the town of Podujeva, too. People were allowed out, but in the town in the morning, sources said.

A resident of the village of Sekira^&, three to four km south of Podujeva, said a wounded or killed Albanian, shot by Serb forces, was lying on the arable fields. Sekira^& villagers do not dare go out in their family courtyards, as they are being held at gun- point.

Early in the morning today, heavy Serbian forces headed from Prishtina northwards to Podujeva. At 6:50 a.m. 7 Serb police APCs and a Land Rover were seen at Vranidoll village travelling the Prishtina - Podujeva roadway.

At 7:35 a.m., 21 APCs, 4 armored vehicles and 6 Land Rovers travelled the same road. Later, six other Serb vehicles with Serb troops on board left Prishtina for Podujeva.

The heavy Serb military hardware, including tanks, which have been deploying in the Podujeva area since Saturday, have been seen heading towards Podujeva today, passing through the village of Sve^&l.

It has been for days now that a Serbian military crackdown on Podujeva area was an attack waiting to happen, with heavy Serb troops deploying in the area, which has an almost 100 percent ethnic Albanian population with less than one percent Serb community ruling with the hand of the Milosevic regime.

[02] Updated: Serb Attack Continuing Unabated

PRISHTINA, Dec 24 (KIC) - The Serbian military and police attack on the villages of Obran^&, Llapashtic&, Gllamnik, Buric&, Konushefc and Lluzhan was continuing unabated at 10:30 hrs. Heavy shelling was heard all over the area.

The situation in the town of Podujeva is critical. Serbian forces have placed it under a virtual siege, Serb snipers have been reported placed on top of building. Shops and schools have been closed down.

Reports from Podujeva saod in today's attack, Serbian forces have been backed up by military tanks and armored vehicles, but also police armored vehicles and other combat equipment.

Quoting local sources, Mr. Xhemail Mustafa, President Ibrahim Rugova's press secretary, said in a press conference today, as many as 100 vehicles and other heavy weaponry is being used in today's Serb attack on Albanian villages in Podujeva area.

A number of villages in north-west of Podujeva were attacked back in September. Some 20,000 Albanians were forced from their homes for a period of time then.

"This Serbian offensive in northern Kosova is aimed at a definitive ethnic cleansing of Kosova", Mr. Mustafa said.

This past year saw Serbian offensives in central, southern and western Kosova, with as many as 400 Albanian settlements shelled during ground and aerial bombardment, some 40,000 houses destroyed and burned, 2,000 killed and nearly as many gone missing, half a million people turned into refugees.

[03] Serbian Attack against Podujeva Villages Rages Still at Noon

PRISHTINA, Dec 24 (KIC) - Serbian military and police troops, backed up by tanks and other heavy guns, stepped up their shelling of Albanian villages in the northeastern municipality of Podujeva at 11:30 hrs today (Thursday), less than 30 km north of capital Prishtina, local sources told the Kosova Information Center (KIC).

The villages of Obran^&, Llapashtic&, Gllamnik, Konushec, Buric& and outlying hamlets on the right side of the Podujeva - Prishtina highway were being shelled with heavy artillery late in the morning today. A Serb helicopter was flying overhead the town of Podujeva just before noon.

There was intermittent sniper fire from top of buildings in town.

A number of random passers-bye nearly missed being shot, local sources said.

The Albanian population of the attacked area has been fleeing homes in panic, seeking shelter in relatively safer places in the vicinity. Some of the displaced villagers have reportedly reached the village of Bradash, where the Kosova Liberation Army (U^K) has had positions for several months now, some half a dozen km north of Podujeva.

There has been virtually no immediate word on the damage and casualties from inside the attacked area, which has been sealed off by heavy Serb troops.

Eye-witnesses have reported a huge concentration of Serbian forces near the gas station in the village of Sekira^&, straddling the Prishtina-Podujeva roadway, between the villages of Llapashtic& and Gllamnik.

A huge, repressive and intimidating presence of Serb forces has been reported in the town of Podujeva today. Police have set up road blocks in all entrances to the town as well as in key positions inside it.

People have not been allowed to get in or out of Podujeva in the late morning hours.

In Prishtina, capital of Kosova, 30 km south of Podujeva, as well as in several locations along the Prishtina - Podujeva rodway, Serb police forced have restricted or stopped traffic altogether.

Huge military troops and heavy combat hardware were deployed near Podujeva over the weekend, in clear violation of the cease-fire agreements concluded by by U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke and 'FRY' President Milosevic on 12 October.

The Serbian war machinery had in a way hinted the Serb military crackdown on northeastern parts of Kosova, a 99 percent ethnic Albanian area bordering on Serbia, was imminent.

Quoting local sources, Mr. Xhemail Mustafa, President Ibrahim Rugova's press secretary, said in a press conference today, as many as 100 vehicles and other heavy weaponry were being used in today's Serb attack on Albanian villages in Podujeva area.

A number of villages in north-west of Podujeva were attacked back in September. Some 20,000 Albanians were forced from their homes for a period of time then.

"This Serbian offensive in northern Kosova is aimed at a definitive ethnic cleansing of Kosova", Mr. Mustafa said.

This past year saw Serbian offensives in central, southern and western Kosova, with as many as 400 Albanian settlements shelled during ground and aerial bombardment, some 40,000 houses destroyed and burned, 2,000 killed and nearly as many gone missing, half a million people turned into refugees.

[04] Latest Report: Serbian Attack Continues, Local Albanians Resist in Llapashtic&

A number of Albanian houses in Llapashtic& have been reported hit by Serb shelling. There has been no word on casualties yet.

Serbian forces have been using tanks and other combat equipment to attack Albanian villages in the area, sources told the KIC.

[05] President Rugova Congratulates Catholics on Christmas

"I wish a happy Christmas to all Catholics and all citizens of Kosova,", Rugova said in the message, expressing the hope "peace will rule between and amongst us in Kosova".

"This white day of the birth of Jesus is a source of strength to us all, in the sacrifices of Kosovars to freedom, independence and humanity.

God bless Kosova," the President of the Republic's message concludes.

Rugova sent a message of congratulations to the Holy Father, John Paul II. "We are confident you continue praying to God for peace, independence and freedom in Kosova".

The Bishop of the Kosova Diocese, Monsignor Mark Sopi, sent a message of congratulations to all Albanians in Kosova on the occasion of Christmas.

[06] Shelling Has Died Down, Sporadic Fire Heard in Podujeva Area

Podujeva is under a stage of undeclared siege maintained by huge Serb forces patrolling the town. The population, virtually 100 percent Albanian, dares not go out, threatened by snipers on top of buildings.

By dusk, Serb forces had pulled out from their positions at the location called 'Tabet e Llapashtic&s' near Podujeva. It is not known where they have gone to.

The consequences of today's Serb offensive are by and large still unknown, as the area has been sealed off. (See related report "At Least One Albanian Killed...")

[07] At Least One Albanian Killed, 12 Members of a Family Reported Taken Hostage in Podujeva

Unconfirmed reports say that in Gllamnik village two civilian Albanians were killed in as yet unknown circumstances today.

Meanwhile, eye-witnesses said Serb paramilitaries had taken hostage 12 members of an extended Albanian family in Obran^& village, adjacent to the town of Podujeva. The Duriqi family members were reportedly taken to the Brick Factory in Podujeva, the CDHRF said.

Over 200 Serb policemen and paramilitaries with 20 vehicles have been stationed in the premises of the Factory.

Albanian residents of the villages of Llapashtic&, Gllamnik, Obran^&, Konushevc, Buric& and Penuh& have reportedly fled their homes amidst an increasing Serbian military and police shelling of the area today, the CDHRF said.

Serbian forces manning rolling checkpoints along the Merdar- Podujeva- Lluzhan roadway have been opening machine-gun fire on cars travelling the road today, the Council added.

[08] Police Fires Upon Bus near Podujeva

The passengers were terrified to see Serb police opening random fire on the bus, a passenger said.

Serbian police attacking U^K positions today had taken random passers-bye in Lluzhan as shields, commuters between Podujeva and Prishtina said. Lluzhan is a village straddling the highway.

[09] One Albanian Killed, Eight Wounded by Masked People in Klina e Ep&rme Villages

The LDK chapter in Mitrovica, which quoted Zoj& Osaj's (32) words, did not specify how they were attacked.

Earlier in the day today, Murat Musliu, a local human rights activist in Skenderaj, was quoted as saying a bomb had exploded in the house. Three Osaj family members were in a critical condition, he said.

[10] Serbian Forces Returning and Deploying in Kosova, State Department Spokesman Says

"We have seen indications that some of the security personnel withdrawn from Kosovo in October have returned, and military and police units that should be in garrison are deployed in the field.

This constitutes a dangerous provocation," U.S. State Department spokesman James Rubin said in a statement, quoted by Reuters news agency.

"A large-scale crackdown against the civilian population of Kosovo would do nothing to improve the security situation and could spark of cycle of violence that would seriously undermine the ceasefire agreement," he added.

"The United States reiterates its call on the Serbian security forces in Kosovo and on the KLA to exercise restraint, even in the face of provocation," Rubin said.

[11] "Attacks on Health Facilities, Doctors and Their Patients Are War Crimes"

PRISHTINA, Dec 24 (KIC) - Boston-based Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) on Wednesday accused Serbian forces of systematically killing, torturing and abusing Albanian doctors and their patients in Kosova, Reuters news agency reported.

In a letter to "FRY" President Slobodan Milosevic, the group asked him to put an end to the abuses.

"Attacks on health facilities, doctors and their patients are war crimes," said Dr. Jennifer Leaning, a Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) researcher who helped conduct a three-month study into beatings and deaths, was quoted as saying.

Albanian doctors "have been harassed and hunted in a campaign that disregards norms of medical neutrality," she said, adding: "We feel the pattern of abuse has to be one at least countenanced and probably directed at the highest levels in Belgrade."

The PHR researchers interviewed more than 100 medical colleagues in Kosova from October to early December and their formal report, expected in early January, will detail alleged war crimes committed by Serb forces against Albanian doctors and their patients, Reuters reported.

The interviewed Albanian doctors reported they were beaten and tortured and forced to sign confessions that they treated wounded KLA (Kosova Liberation Army) supporters. The physicians were then charged with terrorism themselves and sentenced, PHR said.

Serb police have seized medical supplies, destroyed clinics, and razed the doctors' homes, PHR said, adding there was "a pattern of abuse of dozens of ethnic Albanian patients in state-controlled, Serbian-run hospitals," Reuters concluded.

[12] Serb Military and Police Movement in Ferizaj, Obiliq, Suhareka

PRISHTINA, Dec 24 (KIC) - At five o'clock in the morning today, a column of seven Serb police lorries travelled from Ferizaj to Prishtina, the LDK chapter in Ferizaj reported.

Meanwhile, a convoy of Serb military and police troops and vehicles travelled about midnight last night in the roadway Stanoc- Prilluzh&- Plemetin-Obiliq, local sources said. The column consisted of 8 transporters, 7 APCs, and 5 armoured vehicles, which moved from Obiliq to Hade to Bardh i Madh, before actually stationing in the Serb military barracks at Pomozotin.

Serbian military and police troops stepped up their movement in Suhareka today.

A convoy of Serb military involving 9 lorries, 3 armoured vehicles and eight jeeps full of soldiers passed through town today morning, LDK sources said. There were troop movements yesterday, too.

Serb soldiers opened machine gun fire in the direction of Ymer A.

Gashi in Luzhnic& village, who was in the business of fetching food for his livestock.

[13] Serb Military Forces Deployed in V&rmic&, Prizren Area

A Serb army officer made entry into the school inquiring about when the school term would end. Schoolchildren were in panic.

Serb military troops at the entrance to the village of V&rmic& have been stopping motorists and passers-bye, checking their papers.

[14] 100 Serb Policemen Crack Down on Albanian Neihgbourhood in Mitrovica

Houses were raided, furniture smashed up, and Albanians arrested, the LDK said, giving the names of households and people ill-treated and arrested during the Serb police crackdown.

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