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Kosova Daily Report #1715, 99-03-09
Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1715
Prishtina, 9 March 1999
First Edition: 10:00 CET
Second Edition: 17:45 CET
CONTENTS
[01] Serbian Forces Attack Hani i Elezit Villages, 1,500 Albanians Under
Siege in Ivaj&
[02] President Rugova Receives Turkish Ambassador
[03] Serb Shelling of Vushtrri Villages Continues
[04] Houses of a Family Compound in Shallc Village Reported in Flames
[05] Serbian Military Launches Artillery Attack against Kotlin& and
Pustenik Villages, Southeastern Kosova
[06] Sporadic Fire in Pustenik, Smoke Billowing from Three Ka^anik
Villages
[07] Two Albanians Kidnapped in Kosova Capital Prishtina
[01] Serbian Forces Attack Hani i Elezit Villages, 1,500 Albanians Under
Siege in Ivaj&
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - An extremely dramatic situation has been
reported in a number of villages of Hani i Elezit municipality, in
southeastern Kosova bordering on FYROM, as Serbian military resumed today
(Tuesday) morning an attack with artillery and infantry units against the
villages of Ivaj& and Pustenik.
Over 1,500 Albanians have found themselves under siege in the village of
Ivaj&. They, both local people and refugees from neighboring villages,
cannot reach out to safety, while Serb tanks and troops are pounding the
village and closing in on it.
A local LDK activist, speaking to the KIC on the phone, called for the OSCE
verification mission to step in, so as to save the population, most of whom
women, children and elderly, who are afraid the Serbs may massacre them.
Reports said Serbian forces have destroyed and torched some 100 Albanian
houses in the villages they have attacked and overrun in the past few
days.
[02] President Rugova Receives Turkish Ambassador
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - The President of the Republic of Kosova Ibrahim
Rugova received today in Prishtina Mr. Ahmet Acet, Turkey's Ambassador to
Belgrade, to discuss the most recent developments in Kosova and the
consultations of political forces on the Rambouillet Accords for Kosova in
the run-up to the resumption of negotiations on an interim settlement.
Rugova said the situation in Kosova continued to be grave and dangerous
amidst the unrelenting Serbian military and police actions in separate
parts of the country. He pressed for urgent pressure on Belgrade to bring
an end to its offensive operations against the people of Kosova.
Regarding the Accords negotiated last month at Rambouillet, France,
President Rugova said most of the political forces and the people of Kosova
approve the deal and press that its implementation, once it is concluded,
be carried out by NATO troops.
The Turkish diplomat, Ahmet Acet, said his government was supportive of the
Rambouillet agreement and expressed his hope it would be signed soon.
[03] Serb Shelling of Vushtrri Villages Continues
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - Serbian forces stationed at Druar ('Drvar')
village were shelling Albanian villages at the foot of the ^i^avica massif,
local LDK sources told the KIC earlier in the day today.
A column of Serbian military, including tanks and other combat equipment,
left the village of Bukosh heading towards Mihaliq village today morning.
In the wake of the recent Serbian military offensive in the area, only a
few elderly Albanians remain in their homes in some of the villages,
sources said, giving the names of some of them.
A paralyzed Albanian, Ramadan S. Zeneli (78), died two days ago in his home
village of Resnik. He could not leave the village during the Serbian
crackdown there.
The village of Brusnik was shelled yesterday, sources said, adding that
Serbian forces occupied the house of Bislim Shaqiri there.
Meanwhile, sources said Serbian military personnel occupied Albanian houses
in Pir^ village of Mitrovica yesterday.
Hundreds of Albanians have fled their homes, leaving behind everything,
including their livestock.
Fresh Serbian military and police forces have been reported arriving in the
Mitrovica area from Serbia in the past couple of days.
[04] Houses of a Family Compound in Shallc Village Reported in Flames
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - Local LDK sources told the KIC by phone at 15:00
CET today the houses of a family compound of Shallc village were in flames
at the time, adding that many Serbian armored vehicles were involved in
shooting there.
Smoke was billowing also from the houses of the Kollari family compound at
Brusnik village of Vushtrri.
The Serbian police arrested yesterday Shaban Shala (60), Aziz Mehana (52)
and Lan Meha (30), all of them residents of Okrashtica village.
[05] Serbian Military Launches Artillery Attack against Kotlin& and
Pustenik Villages, Southeastern Kosova
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - The Serbian military has been pounding the
village of Kotlin&, municipality of Hani i Elezit, with heavy artillery
since 9:00 CET today (Tuesday), local LDK sources in Ka^anik said late
afternoon today.
At 10:20 CET, Serbian forces started shelling the village of Pustenik, also
in the municipality of Hani i Elezit. There has been no immediate word on
casualties.
One U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) soldier was killed and four others wounded
during heavy fighting with Serbian forces in the neighboring municipality
of Ka^anik yesterday (Monday), the Albanian TV (RTSH) reported.
Heavy Serbian military troops have been stationed just past noon today in
two locations, 'Krivarek&' and 'Uji i thart&', along the Hani i Elezit-
Ka^anik roadway, local LDK sources said. Two Serb military airplanes flew
over the Ka^anik area today, they added.
In the aftermath of the Serbian military and police offensive operations in
Goranc& and several other villages in the municipality of Ka^anik, some
5.000 Albanians - mostly women, children and elderly - who have been driven
from their homes have been assembled only one kilometer away from the
Kosova-FYROM border at the Gllobo^ic& village, near the Jazhinc& border
crossing, the Prishtina-based Kosova Sot daily said. The Kosova Albanian
refugees have been intent on crossing over to neighboring FYROM in search
of safety, but have been prevented from moving there by the Serb
police.
The Kosova Sot sources said 40 Albanians from the villages under Serbian
attack crossed the border on Sunday evening.
[06] Sporadic Fire in Pustenik, Smoke Billowing from Three Ka^anik
Villages
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - In the wake of the morning's shelling by Serbian
forces of Pustenik village, sporadic fire was heard in the afternoon today,
local LDK sources in Hani i Elezit said.
Smoke has been reported billowing from the Ka^anik villages of Ivaj&, Gajre
and Strazh&, which have been the target of Serbian military attacks.
Three Albanians from Goranc& village have been unaccounted for since
Sunday. They have been named as Minir Berisha (70), Hetem Vila (45) and
Sylejman Dermjani.
[07] Two Albanians Kidnapped in Kosova Capital Prishtina
PRISHTINA, March 9 (KIC) - The Serbian police abducted yesterday afternoon
Adnan Maliqi (20) in Prishtina. He was driving his Golf car when he was
kidnapped near the Students' Canteen in the center of the town.
Serbian police told Adnan's family he would be released today. He was not
released, though. Meanwhile, eye-witnesses have told the Prishtina-based
Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) today they had
seen Adnan's car near a garbage dumping ground in Kodra e Trimave
neighborhood in Prishtina.
The CDHRF reported that another Albanian, Hajriz Kelmendi (1962), also a
resident of Prishtina, was kidnapped on 5 March. He was driving his Renault
5 car, and was seen last near the Llapi mosque in Prishtina.
Kosova Information Center
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