Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac

The Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (LAPMB; Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit, UÇPMB; Serbian: Ослободилачка војска Прешева, Медвеђе и Бујановца, ОВПМБ, romanized: Oslobodilačka vojska Preševa, Medveđe i Bujanovca, OVPMB) was an Albanian militant insurgent group fighting for separation from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for three municipalities: Preševo, Medveđa, and Bujanovac, home to most of the Albanians in south Serbia, adjacent to Kosovo. Of the three municipalities, two have an ethnic Albanian majority, whilst Medveđa has a significant minority of them.^[3][4]

Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac
Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit
Leaders	Shefket Musliu  Muhamet Xhemajli  Ridvan Qazimi † Njazi Azemi † Bardhyl Osmani †
Dates of operation	1999–2001
Headquarters	Dobrosin
Active regions	"Ground Safety Zone", Preševo Valley, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Ideology	Albanian nationalism Greater Albania Separatism Irredentism
Size	5,000 (1,500 active)^[1]^[2]
Allies	Kosovo Liberation Army Albanian National Army National Liberation Army
Opponents	Yugoslavia Serbia KFOR
Battles and wars	Insurgency in the Preševo Valley Battle of Dobrosin Attacks near Dobrosin Battle of Bukovac Clashes around Bujanovac Battle of Šušaja Operation Return Battle of Oraovica Battle of Cerevajka
Flag
Preceded by Kosovo Liberation Army Succeeded by National Liberation Army (Macedonia)

The UÇPMB's uniforms, procedures and tactics mirrored those of the then freshly disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The 1,500-strong paramilitary launched an insurgency in the Preševo Valley from 1999 to 2001, with the goal of joining these municipalities to Kosovo.^[5] The EU condemned what it described as the "extremism" and use of "illegal terrorist actions" by the group.^[6]

Background

In 1992–1993, ethnic Albanians created the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)^[7] which started attacking police forces and secret-service officials who abused Albanian civilians in 1995.^[8] Starting in 1998, the KLA was involved in frontal battle, with increasing numbers of Yugoslav security forces. Escalating tensions led to the Kosovo War in February 1998.^[9][10][11]

History

After the end of the Kosovo War in 1999, a three-mile "Ground Safety Zone" (GSZ) was established between Kosovo (governed by the UN) and inner Serbia and Montenegro. Yugoslav Forces (VJ) units were not permitted there, and only the lightly armed Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs forces were left in the area.^[12]

The exclusion zone included the predominantly Albanian village of Dobrosin, but not Preševo. Serbian police had to stop patrolling the area to avoid being ambushed. Ethnic Albanian politicians opposed to the KLA were attacked, including Zemail Mustafi, the vice-president of the Bujanovac branch of Slobodan Milošević's Socialist Party of Serbia who was later assassinated.^[13][14]

Between 21 June 1999 and 12 November 2000, 294 attacks were recorded. 246 in Bujanovac, 44 in Medveđa and 6 in Preševo. These attacks resulted in 14 people killed (of which six were civilians and eight were policemen), 37 people wounded (two UN observers, three civilians and 34 policemen) and five civilians kidnapped. In their attacks, UÇPMB used mostly assault rifles, machine guns, mortars and sniper rifles, but occasionally also RPGs, hand grenades, and anti-tank and anti-personnel mines.^[15]

The UÇPMB included minors.^[16]

On 4 March 2000, around 500 UÇPMB fighters attacked the city of Dobrosin. The battle resulted in one UÇPMB and one Serb fighter killed,^[17] while another 175 were displaced.^[18] On 21 November 2000, members of the UÇPMB attacked the city of Dobrosin and the surrounding villages. Heavy fighting resulted in the VJ retreating to Končulj, Lučane, and Bujanovac.^[19][20] After four policemen were killed and two wounded by the UÇPMB, the VJ retreated back to the GSZ.^[21]

On 6 January 2001, the UÇPMB took control of Gornja Šušaja,^[22] and were well received by the locals. On 19 January, in command of Bardhyl Osmani, raided VJ positions near Crnotince.^[23] On 20 January, the VJ launched an attack against the UÇPMB stronghold. The battle lasted for four days when VJ forces were forced to withdraw.^[22][23]

On 13 May 2001, the VJ and Serbian police launched an attack on the UÇPMB in Oraovica before they entered Sector B. The fighting began at 6:10 am when Yugoslav troops entered the city. At 7:00 am, the UÇPMB attacked Serbian police and fired three rockets towards Oraovica and VJ positions. Attacks from the UÇPMB stopped at 8:00 am. On 14 May 2001, the Yugoslav troops captured the city after the UÇPMB attacked again at 2:15 pm.^[24]

On 21 May 2001, members of the UÇPMB signed the Končulj Agreement, which resulted in the full demilitarization, demobilization, and disarmament of the UÇPMB.^[25][26] The agreement stated that the VJ was allowed to enter the GSZ by 31 May 2001.^[27][28] At the same time, the Serbian side agreed to sign the Statement on conditional amnesty for members of the UÇPMB, which promised amnesty to UÇPMB fighters on 23 May 2001.^[29] After Shefket Musliu signed the Končulj Agreement, he stated:^[30]

"I can tell you that we have handed over our weapons, and that the time has come to end the war. I hope now all children in the villages can go to school again ... I am ready at any moment to face justice, because I have always been convinced and continue to be so about my innocence and that of my ex-combatants."

— Shefket Musliu

As the situation escalated, NATO allowed the VJ to reclaim the GSZ on 24 May 2001, at the same time giving the UÇPMB the opportunity to turn themselves over to the Kosovo Force (KFOR), which promised to only take their weapons and note their names before releasing them. More than 450 UÇPMB members took advantage of KFOR's "screen and release" policy, among them commander Shefket Musliu, who turned himself over to KFOR at a checkpoint along the GSZ just after midnight of 26 May 2001.^[31]

Aftermath

Further information: National Liberation Army (Macedonia) and 2001 insurgency in Macedonia

With the signing of the Končulj Agreement in May 2001, the former KLA and UÇPMB fighters next moved to western Macedonia where they established the NLA, which fought against the Macedonian government in 2001.^[5] Ali Ahmeti organized the NLA from former KLA and UÇPMB fighters from Kosovo, Albanian insurgents from the UÇPMB in Serbia, young Albanian radicals, nationalists from Macedonia, and foreign mercenaries.^[32][33] The acronym was the same as the KLA's in Albanian.^[32]

In July 2001, former NLA fighters created the Albanian National Army (ANA, AKSh),^[34] and announced itself on 3 August 2001.^[35] The group is associated with FBKSh (National Front for Reunification of Albanians), its political wing. The group participated in attacks against Macedonian forces with the NLA.^[36][37] After the NLA disbanded, the ANA later went and operated in the Preševo Valley.^[38]

Organization

The UÇPMB was organized into five brigades, each with their own commanders:

• 111th Brigade, commanded by Sami Haziju
• 112th Brigade, commanded by Ridvan Qazimi
• 113th Brigade, commanded by Bardhyl Osmani^[39]
• 114th Brigade, commanded by Muhamet Xhemajli
• 115th Brigade, commanded by Njazi Azemi^[40]

Notable people

• Shefket Musliu   (highest commander)^[41]
• Muhamet Xhemajli   (second commander)
• Ridvan Qazimi †^[42][43] (third commander)
• Njazi Azemi † (commander)
• Bardhyl Osmani † (commander)
• Pacir Shicri   (spokesman)^[44]
• Tahir Dalipi   (spokesman)
• Lirim Jakupi   (spokesman)
• Jonuz Musliu  
• Avdil Jakupi^[45]
• Tahir Sinani
• Shaqir Shaqiri
• Mustafa Shaqiri  
• Nagip Ali  
• Orhan Rexhepi  
• Arben Ramadani †^[46]

References

1. Jane's Terrorism and Security Monitor. Jane's Information Group. 2005. p. 51.
2. Nigel Thomas, K. Mikulan, Darko Pavlović, The Yugoslav Wars, p. 51
3. "Population by nationality and gender Census 2022".
4. "2022 Census of Population, Households and Dwellings" (PDF). Retrieved 2023-12-07.
5. Rafael Reuveny; William R. Thompson (5 November 2010). Coping with Terrorism: Origins, Escalation, Counterstrategies, and Responses. SUNY Press. pp. 185–. ISBN 978-1-4384-3313-4.
6. European Centre for Minority Issues Staf (1 January 2003). European Yearbook of Minority Issues: 2001/2. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers. pp. 652–. ISBN 90-411-1956-6.
7. Eriksson, Mikael; Kostić, Roland (15 February 2013). Mediation and Liberal Peacebuilding: Peace from the Ashes of War?. Routledge. pp. 43–. ISBN 978-1-136-18916-6.
8. Perret 2008, p. 63
9. Independent International Commission on Kosovo (2000). The Kosovo Report (PDF). Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 2. ISBN 978-0199243099. (PDF) from the original on 2022-04-11. Retrieved 2020-08-10.
10. Quackenbush, Stephen L. (2015). International Conflict: Logic and Evidence. Los Angeles: Sage. p. 202. ISBN 9781452240985. from the original on 2023-01-11. Retrieved 2020-09-24.
11. "Roots of the Insurgency in Kosovo" (PDF). June 1999. (PDF) from the original on 2021-06-25. Retrieved 2020-08-08.
12. . Ce-review.org. Archived from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 7 November 2012.
13. "KLA provocations in Mitrovica and southwest Serbia". World Socialist Web Site. 2000-03-10. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
14. Erlanger, Steven (2000-03-02). "Kosovo Rebels Regrouping Nearby in Serbia". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2024-01-26.
15. Krstic, Ninoslav; Dragan Zivkovic. "Извођење операције решавања кризе на југу Србије изазване деловањем наоружаних албанских екстремиста (терориста)". Vojno delo. p. 180. ISSN 0042-8426.
16. "Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Federal Republic of Yugoslavia". Child Soldiers International. 2001. The UCPMB is an Albanian armed group operating in southern Serbia whose operations are reportedly controlled by the Political Council for Presovo. They are calling for the incorporation of the cities of Preshava, Medvegia and Bujanovci into Kosovo. Estimates of numbers vary between 200 and 15,000.
    The Guardian newspaper reported in January 2001 that some sixty suspected members of the UCPMB guerrilla had been arrested by peacekeepers. UCPMB recruits include children in their mid teens to men in their forties ... Further confirmation of the participation of child soldiers came when KFOR detained 16 juveniles (aged 15-17) in the first two months of 2001 for alleged involvement in the conflict (although the degree of "involvement" is not clear). The international media claim that there is forced recruitment of juveniles into this group but this is not verified and numbers are small ... A 15-year-old Albanian male was reported shot dead on 23 March 2001 in the Ground Safety Zone near Gnjilane. Although no confirmations have been received, the circumstances suggest he may have been a child soldier.
    UNICEF, 9/3/01 op. cit.Information (provided by [a] confidential source that requests confidentiality, 3/01)
17. "Die vergessenen Albaner Serbiens - Zur Lage der ethnischen Albaner in Südserbien außerhalb des Kosovo - Ulf Brunnbauer in Südosteuropa, Zeitschrift für Gegenwartsforschung, 7-8/1999". www.bndlg.de. Retrieved 2022-10-04. Overnight Friday, Albanian witnesses reported clashes between the Serbian police and the UCPBM fighters in Dobrosin. And a week ago, a UCPBM fighter and a Serb policeman were killed, while two policemen were injured in clashes in the village.
18. "Civilians Flee Serbian Border Town". Los Angeles Times. 2000-03-05. Retrieved 2022-10-02.
19. Yugoslav Survey. Indiana University: Jugoslavija Publishing House. 2000.
20. Mukarji, Apratim (2001). Assertive democracy : transition in Yugoslavia : selected documents. Apratim Mukarji, K. G. Tyagi, Indian Council of Social Science Research. New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research and Manak Publications. p. 442. ISBN 81-7827-024-2. OCLC 47667218.
21. "Uhapšeni Albanci otimali i kasapili Srbe". Večernje Novosti. 4 May 2012. from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2012.
22. "Në kujtim të 20 vjetorit të njërës nga betejat e luftës së Preshevës – Epoka e Re". Retrieved 2023-08-27.
23. +Presheva.AL (2021-01-25). "Në njëzet vjetorin e Betejës së Shoshajës 24-28 janar të vitit 2001". PRESHEVA.AL. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
24. "Yugoslavia: Troops Win Tactical Victory In Presevo Valley". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty. 2001-05-16. Retrieved 2018-06-29.
25. Kožul, Dejan (16 August 2021). "THE FORGOTTEN VALLEY". Kosovo 2.0.
26. "PA-X: Peace Agreements Database". www.peaceagreements.org. Retrieved 2022-07-21.
27. "www.glas-javnosti.co.yu". arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
28. "Ušli smo u ozloglašeno selo, rodni kraj teroriste, uoči "Dana Kapetana Lešija": Kada smo pitali Albance za njega, dobili smo jasan odgovor, na srpskom (FOTO)". Telegraf.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 2020-08-22.
29. "Serbia: IDPs still seeking housing solutions and documentation to access their rights" (PDF). refworld.org. 2009-12-29.
30. "Ish-komandanti i UCPMB-së, Shefqet Musliu: Gjykimi ishte politik | Presheva Jonë". 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
31. Yumpu.com. "NATO and the KLA TWO". yumpu.com. p. 134. Retrieved 2022-11-26.
32. Pål Kolstø (2009). Media Discourse and the Yugoslav Conflicts: Representations of Self and Other. Ashgate Publishing, Ltd. p. 173. ISBN 9780754676294.
33. Marusic, Sinisa (2020-09-02). "North Macedonia Albanian Leader Testifies to Kosovo War Prosecutors". Balkan Insight.
34. "Новая албанская банда ответит за 10 убитых македонцев" [The new Albanian gang will be responsible for the 10 killed Macedonians]. RBK Group. Archived from the original on 2013-04-17. Retrieved 2012-02-19.
35. . 2005-04-18. Archived from the original on 2005-04-18. Retrieved 2024-01-17.
36. "Macedonia - defense: Buckovski: "Let tragedy be the beginning of the end of the war"". Relief.web. August 10, 2001. Retrieved 26 June 2022. "ANA" CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR KILLING OF TEN MACEDONIAN SOLDIERS Skopje, August 10 - A new armed group of ethnic Albanians on Thursday claimed responsibility for the killing of ten Macedonian army reservists in a highway ambush a day earlier. The "Albanian National Army" (AKSH) e-mailed a statement to several media in the region, on Albanian-language, saying a combined unit of its fighters and of the so-called National Liberation Army (NLA) carried the attack out "in revenge" for the killing of five NLA members by Macedonian security forces.
37. . The Guardian. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015. Retrieved 3 July 2022. In a statement yesterday, a dissident ethnic Albanian group calling itself the Albanian National Army claimed responsibility for the killings, saying: "The Skopje government is restarting its terror and sees war as the only response to Albanian demands."
38. ""Albanische Nationalarmee" bekennt sich zu Anschlag im südserbischen Presevo-Tal – DW – 13.08.2003". dw.com (in German). Retrieved 2024-01-17.
39. "Mitat Skender Musliu Komandat i Njisitit 16.02.1981/14.05.2001". SHoqata Humanitare Lugina e Presheves (in German). Retrieved 2024-02-21.
40. "Respekt e nderim për Njazi Azemin-Komandant "Mjekrra" në 19-vjetorin e rënies". 2LONLINE (in Albanian). 2020-03-26. Retrieved 2024-02-20.
41. "Rebel Albanian chief surrenders". BBC News. 26 May 2001.
42. "Razmena vatre došla mu glave". arhiva.glas-javnosti.rs. Retrieved 2020-08-22.
43. "Albanci Preševa i Bujanovca slave komandanta Lešija". Blic.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 2020-08-22.
44. "British K-For troops under fire". BBC News. 25 January 2001.
45. Unternehmensberatung, ADVOKAT. "Entscheidung TE AsylGH Erkenntnis 2008/09/04 B3 318745-1/2008 - JUSLINE Österreich". www.jusline.at (in German). Retrieved 2023-10-29.
46. . 2016-03-06. Archived from the original on 2016-03-06. Retrieved 2023-12-28.

External links

• In Serbia, Albanian gunmen go silently to work, The Independent, 2 March 2000.
• , TIME, 13 March 2000.
• Albanian rebels training for Serbian war, BBC News, 12 February 2001
• Albanian separatists continue fighting in Kosovo buffer zone, World Socialist Web Site, 14 February 2001.