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Battle of Llapushnik

The Battle of Llapushnik (Serbian:Битка код Лапушника, Albanian: Beteja e Gryka e Llapushnikut) took place on 7-10 May 1998 in the village of Llapushnik, in the district of Pristina, in Kosovo during the Kosovo war. It ended in the Kosovo Liberation Army being victorious against Yugoslav forces.[2]

Battle of Llapushnik
Part of the Kosovo War
Date7–10 May 1998
Location
Llapushnik, Drenica, Kosovo, Yugoslavia
Result

KLA victory

  • KLA captures Lapušnik
  • Lapušnik prison camp was built
  • Yugoslav forces take the Llapushnik prison camp after the KLA withdrawal from the camp
Belligerents
KLA Federal Republic of Yugoslavia FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Ismet Jashari
Fatmir Limaj
Isak Musliu
Ymer Alushani †
Kadri Veseli
Fehmi Lladrovci
Units involved
121 Brigade Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Yugoslav Army
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia Serbian police
Strength
unknown Federal Republic of Yugoslavia unknown
Casualties and losses
47 killed[1]

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia unknown

Tam-110 destroyed

On 9 May 1998,[3] Ismet Jashari, who still had not fully recovered from the injuries he suffered during an previous ambush, led his forces into Llapushnik, where he defeated the Yugoslav Army and police and captured the town.[4][5] Alongside with him were Kadri Veseli, Fatmir Limaj,[6] Isak Musliu and Ymer Alushani.[7]

The Pristina-Peja road was made impassable for the Serbian forces. The Llapushnik gorge was kept blocked for months, enabling the KLA fighters to move freely in a large part of the territory of Kosovo and this enabled them to organise and supply themselves with weapons.[8][9][10][11]

Aftermath

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Kadri Veseli, a Kosovo Politician and former founder and leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, recalled it as one of the most fierce battles, saying that the dimensions of frontal fighting in Llapushnik resonated throughout Europe and increased the population's confidence in the strength of the Kosovo Liberation Army with a massive mobilisation.[12]

On 25-26 July 1998, Serbian military and police forces launched a summer offensive against most of the KLA's major checkpoints and bases, including an attack against the Llapushnik gorge and surrounding villages.[13] Yugoslav forces seized back control of Llapushnik on July 27.[14]

From mid-June to the end of July 1998, KLA forces established a prison camp in Llapushnik where both Serb and Albanian civilian detainees were subjected to mistreatment, torture and murder.[15][16] When Yugoslav forces retook Llapushnik and the surrounding areas, the KLA abandoned the camp and marched the prisoners towards the mountains, dividing them into groups. A group of nine was released while another group numbering some 12 people were shot, ten of whom were killed.[15]

References

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  1. ^ "20 Vjet nga beteja e Llapushnikut". Kallxo. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  2. ^ "22 years since the battle of Llapushnik". Kosovapress.com. 10 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2020-05-15.
  3. ^ Plus, Kult (2023-05-10). "Gryka". KultPlus (in Albanian). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  4. ^ Grejqevci, Fatmir (2023-08-25). "Ismet Jashar Jashari (16.4.1967 – 25. 8. 1998)". Radio Kosova e Lirë. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  5. ^ "Epopeja e Grykës së Llapushnikut, sinonim i lavdisë, krenarisë dhe qëndresës së UÇK-së". feratshala.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  6. ^ "Përkujtohen të rënët e Grykës së Llapushnikut, Limaj tha se duhet të plotësohet amaneti i dëshmorëve". ekonomiaonline.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  7. ^ "23 vite më parë luftëtarët e lirisë në Grykën e Llapushnikut e zgjuan Evropën nga gjumi". 04 Online. 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  8. ^ "25 years since the Battle of Llapushnik". KosovaPress. 2023-05-10. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  9. ^ "25 vjet nga beteja e Grykës së Llapushnikut". Epoka e Re. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  10. ^ Osmani, Shqipe (2022-05-10). "Sot bëhen 24 vite nga Beteja e Llapushnikut". Kosovapost.net (in Albanian). Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  11. ^ admin (2022-05-10). "24 vjet nga Beteja e Llapushnikut". Qendra Press. Retrieved 2023-12-24.
  12. ^ "Veseli: The battle of Llapushnik increased the populations confidence in the strength of the KLA". Kosovapress.com. 9 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07.
  13. ^ "Më 25 dhe 26 korrik 1998, forcat ushtarake e policore serbe kishin filluar ofensivën e parë të verës kundër UÇK-së". radiokosovaelire.com. 25 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Serbs claim rebel bastion on key Kosovo road". Reuters. 27 July 1998.
  15. ^ a b "Limaj et al. Case Information Sheet" (PDF). ICTY.org. International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. pp. 3–4.
  16. ^ Cassese, Antonio (2009). The Oxford Companion to International Criminal Justice. Oxford University Press. p. 794. ISBN 9780199238323.

Further reading

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  • "Ballina". old.kosovapress.com. Retrieved 2022-01-07.
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