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Kosova Daily Report #1708, 99-03-02
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1708
Prishtina, 2 March 1999
First Edition: 10:00 CET
Second Edition: 17:30 CET
CONTENTS
[01] Serbian Troops Shell Kosovar Albanian Villages on the Border with
FYROM
[02] ^i^avica Massif Villages Attacked Overnight
[03] President Rugova Receives OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek
[04] Serbian Attack on Albanian Villages in Southeastern Kosova Continues
[05] Serbian Forces Shell Villages in Mitrovica Area Today Morning
[06] Adem Dema^i Quits as Political Representative of the U^K
[07] Hashim Tha^i Charged with Forming Provisional Kosova Government
[08] Serbs Massing Troops and Armor in Prizren and Klina
[09] Serb Civilians Assault OSCE Verifiers in Prizren
[10] Albanian Killed in Brestovc Village of Rahovec Monday Evening
[11] Victims Found in Tupec, near Prizren, Identified
[12] Killed Albanian Identified After Having Been Interned by Serbian
Forces
[01] Serbian Troops Shell Kosovar Albanian Villages on the Border with
FYROM
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - Serbian military and paramilitary police troops
launched today morning, at 5 o'clock a.m., an attack against the village of
Krivenik, in the Hani i Elezit area, southeast Kosova bordering on FYROM,
local sources said.
Two hours later, frequent and powerful detonations were heard in the
village of Pustenik, aimed at Kosova Liberation Army (U^K) positions, where
clashes with Serbian forces have occurred in the past several days.
Serbian shelling targeting Pustenik continued at 9:30 CET, too. As many as
15 Serbian military shells landed in the village in five minutes alone,
local LDK sources in Hani i Elezit reported.
Heavy Serbian military movements were reported early in the morning today
in Hani i Elezit and Ka^anik area. Huge Serbian forces were heading towards
the Ka^anik Gorge, whereas three columns of Serbian troops, backed up by as
many as 70 vehicles, including army tanks, headed towards Hani i Elezit at
6:45 CET. Three powerful detonations were heard at the time within ten to
fifteen minutes.
Heavy Serbian military and police forces had been closing in on the village
of Pustenik before 7 o'clock in the morning today.
Most of the Albanian residents displaced by the recent fighting have sought
refuge in the town of Ka^anik.
The people of the small town of Hani i Elezit have been locked up in their
homes, fearful that going out would mean becoming easy targets of the
Serbian police. Some Albanians have been reported arrested.
[02] ^i^avica Massif Villages Attacked Overnight
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - Serbian military forces positioned at Dolak,
Bukosh and Frash&r mounted a one-hour attack with heavy guns against the
villages around the ^i^avica massif in northern Kosova overnight, local LDK
sources in Vushtrri said.
Serbian forces have reportedly ransacked many Albanian households in the
villages of Dolak and Bukosh.
[03] President Rugova Receives OSCE Chairman-in-Office Knut Vollebaek
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova received today the Norwegian Foreign Minister and current OSCE
Chairman-in-Office, Mr. Knut Vollebaek. Attending the meeting was also
Ambassador William Walker, head of the OSCE Kosova Verification Mission.
In the meeting, President Rugova and the OSCE officials discussed about the
current developments in Kosova and the process of consultations of the
Kosovar political organizations and the people on the interim settlement
for Kosova negotiated in the Rambouillet Conference last month.
The Kosova leader described the situation as very grave and dangerous
amidst continued offensive operations by the Serbian military and police in
several areas in Kosova.
Rugova pressed for a stepped up pressure on Belgrade to secure that the
crackdown is brought to an end and Serbian forces are withdrawn from
Kosova.
Regarding the interim agreement on Kosova, President Ibrahim Rugova said
the overwhelming majority of the people and the political forces in Kosova
are supportive of it, pressing that its implementation be carried out by
NATO forces on the ground.
[04] Serbian Attack on Albanian Villages in Southeastern Kosova Continues
More than 300 Albanian residents of Krivenik and Rezhanc& village have
illegally crossed over to Macedonia today
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - Serbian military and police forces continued
well into afternoon today (Tuesday) their attack against Kosovar Albanian
villages in southeastern Kosova.
LDK sources in Hani i Elezit ('General Jankovic') spoke of an unrelenting
level of Serbian gunfire, while the Albanian population of the area
continued fleeing in panic. Most of them were huddled in Gllobo^ic& village,
which is where a border crossing to Macedonia is located.
The population of Gllobo^ic& has tripled, sources told the KIC.
The residents of the small town of Hani i Elezit have found themselves
locked up in their homes, as Serbian forces have been pounding Albanian
villages and U^K positions from that locality.
More than 300 Albanian residents of Krivenik and Rezhanc& villages,
municipality of Hani i Elezit, illegally crossed over to Macedonia today
morning, local LDK sources said. Most of the refugees were women, children
and elderly. Macedonian authorities have not yet received them, reports
said.
The shelling of Kosovar Albanian villages had died down past 15:00 CET
today, sources told the KIC, adding that sporadic small arms fire was still
going on.
The houses of the Daci family compound in Pustenik village were reported in
flames in mid-afternoon today.
[05] Serbian Forces Shell Villages in Mitrovica Area Today Morning
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - From 5:00 through 6:30 CET today, Serbian forces
shelled U^K positions in several Mitrovica villages, in northern Kosova.
The Serbs shelled from their military positions in Frash&r i Vog&l and
Shipol, local LDK sources said.
There was sporadic shelling from Frash&r i Vog&l overnight, too.
A convoy of Serbian forces left Mitrovica for Skenderaj, while Serbian
civilians emerged armed and uniformed from the Serbian military barracks
today, sources said.
Serbian police raids and arrests of Albanians have been reported in
different parts of the town of Mitrovica today.
Xhafer Koca, resident of Polac village of Skenderaj, was arrested Monday
afternoon alongside with her 12-year-old daughter, local LDK sources said.
It was not known whether they were released by today.
[06] Adem Dema^i Quits as Political Representative of the U^K
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - In a press conference in Prishtina today
(Tuesday), Mr. Adem Dema^i told reporters he was quitting the post of
political representative of the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army).
"Since we do not want that our Office becomes a source of frictions within
the U^K, we have decided to alter the character of the Office", a press
release said, adding that it had been turned now into Adem Dema^i's Office
for Analysis, Proposals and Political Advice.
Adem Dema^i reiterated his position that the Rambouillet conference will
not bring freedom to the Albanian people of Kosova, nor will it "liberate
Kosova from Serbian occupation".
Dema^i resigned the post in protest over the approval in principle by the
U^K of the interim agreement on Kosova negotiated in the Rambouillet
conference last month.
[07] Hashim Tha^i Charged with Forming Provisional Kosova Government
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - The General Staff of the Kosova Liberation Army
(U^K) has designated Hashim Tha^i, member of the General Staff and head of
the Political Directorate of the U^K, as the man to form the new
transitional government of Kosova, which will work to prepare new
parliamentary elections, the U^K said in a statement.
The General Staff has designated its delegation due to visit the United
States of America before mid-March: Hashim Tha^i, Jakup Krasniqi, Ram& Buja,
Bashkim Jashari, Bislim Zyrapi and Ramush Hajredinaj.
The U^K General Staff issued a statement saying it had received a
"preliminary official invitation" from the State Department to visit the
United States.
"This visit is proof of the acceptance of the U^K and of the
internationalization of the Kosova problem," it said.
"There's a plan to invite members of the KLA [U^K] who were involved in the
Rambouillet process to discuss their future," U.S. mediator Chris Hill said
in Prishtina on Monday. "As you know we anticipate a KLA that will be much
different, that it will be more of a political organization," he
concluded.
[08] Serbs Massing Troops and Armor in Prizren and Klina
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - A huge Serbian military column, involving two
dozen armoured and motorized vehicles, passed through Suhareka heading for
Prizren today, local sources said.
Meanwhile, sources said a combined Serbian military and police convoy,
including eight tanks and 30 lorries, as well as a number of APCs arrived
early today morning near the bauxite mines at Sverk& village, municipality
of Klina. They were redeployed later in the day to two locations, at Bok&
near P&r^ev& village, just opposite Sverk&, and at Pishat e Volljak&s (the
Volljak& Pinewood).
While on their move, Serbian forces intimidated the Sverk& residents, who
live in fear of fresh Serb attacks.
Yesterday, Serbian soldiers detained Hazir Berisha (30), resident of Sverk&,
and took him to their base at the bauxite mines. He was beaten up and
threatened he and his family would be taken hostage unless he provided
information about the U^K by Thursday, local LDK sources said.
[09] Serb Civilians Assault OSCE Verifiers in Prizren
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - A number of Serb civilians assaulted two OSCE
verifiers in Prizren yesterday, a spokesman for the Kosova Verification
Mission (KVM) said.
The Serbs vented their anger at the verifiers in the wake of the kidnapping
of two Serbs from Ho^a e Madhe, according to the spokesman.
[10] Albanian Killed in Brestovc Village of Rahovec Monday Evening
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - The village of Brestovc, municipality of Rahovec,
was attacked by Serbian forces Monday evening, killing at least one
Albanian and wounded an unspecified number of other with machine-gun fire.
Muharrem Shaban Berisha (47), resident of the village, was reported
killed.
The population of Brestovc fled their homes, seeking refuge in Krush& e
Madhe and other outlying villages.
Serbian troops and armor continued massing in Rahovec area in the past
couple of days, local LDK sources said.
[11] Victims Found in Tupec, near Prizren, Identified
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - The two victims found Sunday afternoon near
Tupec village of Prizren have been identified as Ilir Diana (20) and Qerim
Rexha (19), The two young Albanians, residents of Rahovec ('Orahovac'),
were two of the three persons kidnapped on 23 February.
They were killed with fire-arms in still unknown circumstances.
The burial of two Albanians of Randobrav&, killed by Serbian forces on 26
February, will take place today (Tuesday).
[12] Killed Albanian Identified After Having Been Interned by Serbian
Forces
PRISHTINA, March 2 (KIC) - The corpse which was interned by Serbian forces
on 25 February after having been kept for three days in the Gjakova town
morgue turned out to be the body of Shani S. Tha^i (43), resident of Rogova
e Hasit village. He had been killed in Bishtazhin village of Gjakova, local
LDK sources in Gjakova said.
The OSCE verification mission helped with the identification of the body of
Shani Tha^i.
Kosova Information Center
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