Kosova Daily Report #1647, 98-12-26

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From: Kosova Information Center <http://www.kosova.com/>

Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT #1647
Prishtina, 26 December 1998

First Edition: 11:45 CET
Second Edition: 16:30 CET

CONTENTS

[01] Serb Special Police Assaults Obran^& Village of Podujeva

[02] Serb Police Withdraws After Assault on Obran^& Village of Podujeva

[03] Explosive Device Damages Norwegian NGO's Vehicle in Prishtina

[04] Serb Forces Open Machine-Gun Fire in Malisheva Area

[05] Serbian Police Seals Off Albanian Family Compounds in Peja Village

[01] Serb Special Police Assaults Obran^& Village of Podujeva

Local LDK activists told the Kosova Information Center (KIC) Serbian police forces with armoured vehicles and APCs headed towards the village, which is just a couple of km west of the town of Podujeva. Serb forces stopped at the entrance to the village and started firing on the village and the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) positions.

Obran^& borders on the village of Llapashtic&, which was the target of Serbian military and police force backed up by scores of tanks and armoured vehicles in the past few days.

At least 9 Albanians - eight of whom civilians, including a woman and a child - were killed Thursday by Serbian forces in Gllamnik and Llapashtic& villages and the town of Podujeva itself, 30 km north of capital Prishtina.

[02] Serb Police Withdraws After Assault on Obran^& Village of Podujeva

Local LDK activists told the Kosova Information Center (KIC) Serbian police forces backed up by an armoured vehicle and several troop carriers headed towards the village, which is just a couple of km west of the town of Podujeva. Serb forces stopped at the entrance to the village and started firing on the village and the U^K (Kosova Liberation Army) positions. Serb police was wearing white clothes, sources said.

Obran^& borders on the village of Llapashtic&, which was the target of Serbian military and police force backed up by scores of tanks and armoured vehicles in the past few days.

At around 14:30 hrs, Serb police forces returned to Podujeva. There has been no immediate word on the consequences of the Serb attack on Obran^& village today.

The LDK sources in Podujeva said a Serb had been killed in Obran^& in as yet unknown circumstances.

Serb regime media identified the killed man as Milovan Radojevic (65), a local Serb.

LDK sources said police and military forces with heavy combat equipment have been stationed at the location called 'Qershit& e Llapashtic&s' and in the compounds of the brick factory in Podujeva. There was shooting reported in these positions at around 9 o'clock in the morning.

In the early afternoon hours today, sporadic gunfire was reported coming from Serb positions. Police have set up presence in all entrances to the town of Podujeva as well as in key communications inside it, stopping and checking motorists and passers-bye.

At least 9 Albanians - eight of whom civilians, including a woman and a child - were killed Thursday by Serbian forces in Gllamnik and Llapashtic& villages and the town of Podujeva itself, 30 km north of capital Prishtina.

Shefkie Salihu (40), who was killed by Serb snipers Thursday near the Besiana motel in Podujeva, was identified Friday afternoon and buried today (Saturday). LDK sources said her husband, Latif Salihu, who had left his house and headed towards Prishtina, has been unaccounted since Thursday.

Ahmet Ahmeti, a schoolteacher and leader of a LDK sub-chapter in Podujeva, was wounded by Serb forces on Thursday, sources said.

The LDK chapter presidency in Podujeva said during a meeting today the situation in the northern municipality was "grave and further deteriorating". Today's police crackdown in Obran^& and the virtual siege imposed on the town of Podujeva add to the gravity and volatility of the situation, the LDK said.

"The killing of civilians is a crime committed by the Serbian regime in the full presence of the international community, and the killing of a child at a time the children of the world celebrate Christmas is an outrageous crime of the Fascist regime in Belgrade", the LDK chapter in Podujeva said in a statement.

The Albanians have in no way provoked the Serb attacks on the villages of Obran^&, Llapashtic&, Gllamnik, Buric& and Konushevc, the LDK said, adding that the goal of Belgrade is to ethnically cleanse this part of Kosova.

The LDK chapter called on NATO to intervene in Kosova to "save the civilian population" from further Serbian aggression.

[03] Explosive Device Damages Norwegian NGO's Vehicle in Prishtina

The blast was considerable, but luckily nobody was injured, the local LDK organization said.

It is as yet unclear who stood behind the attack.

[04] Serb Forces Open Machine-Gun Fire in Malisheva Area

This added fears to the Albanian population, which has been living in exacting conditions after the summer Serb offensive.

Serb forces have been digging in in the Pishat e Llazic&s, the LDK chapter of Malisheva said.

[05] Serbian Police Seals Off Albanian Family Compounds in Peja Village

PRISHTINA, Dec 26 (KIC) - A Serb police expedition raided at 6 o'clock in the morning today (Saturday) two Albanian family compounds in the village of Radavc, municipality of Peja.

The Elezaj and Gjuraj family compounds were stormed on arms possession charges, the LDK sources in Peja said.

During the crackdown, police severely abused Mehmet Gjuraj (60) and teacher Besim Gjuraj (43), and arrested Skender Demaj and Fadil Gjuraj, local LDK activists.

Meanwhile, heavy Serb police forces closed off the commercial center of Peja at 11:30 hrs today (Saturday). Many people were physically abused and robbed of their commercials, the LDK chapter in Peja said. Albanians had goods worth DM 50,000 illegally seized by the Serb police during the one and a half hour-long sweep.

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