Xhemail Rexhepi, also known as Commander Shqiponja, was a commander of the National Liberation Army (NLA).

Xhemail Rexhepi
Nickname(s)"Commander Shqiponja"
Died(2015-07-23)23 July 2015
Kumanovo, Macedonia
Allegiance National Liberation Army
RankCommander

Rexhepi became a member of the Democratic Union for Integration (DUI).[1] In September 2014, Rexhepi announced his candidacy to become president of DUI's branch in Kumanovo.[2] He was shot and killed in a cafe in Kumanovo's Bedinje neighborhood on 23 July 2015.[3] Two other persons who were with him were wounded.[4] Bajram Limani, who was acting head of DUI in Kumanovo, told Alsat that he and his supporters acted in self-defense and had been attacked by Rexhepi's group in his office, and surrendered to the police. DUI condemned the killing.[1] In 2017, the Kumanovo court sentenced Limani to 7 years and 3 months in prison, 5 years for murder, and 2 years and 3 months for illegal possession of weapons. However, he became a fugitive.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Junior Ruling Party Official Killed in Kumanovo". Balkan Insight. 24 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b "International arrest warrant for the killer of "Shqiponja" from Kumanovo". Sloboden Pecat. 2022.
  3. ^ "Përgjaket gara për kryetar të degës së BDI-së në Kumanovë, humb jetën kandidati Xhemail Rexhepi". Balkan Web (in Albanian). 2015-07-23. Retrieved 2023-10-26.
  4. ^ "Macedonia: Albanian party official surrenders to police". B92. 24 August 2015.