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| date = 3 May 2001–6 June 2001
| date = 3 May 2001–6 June 2001
| place = [[Kumanovo Municipality|Kumanovo]], [[Lipkovo Municipality|Lipkovo]] [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]
| place = [[Kumanovo Municipality|Kumanovo]], [[Lipkovo Municipality|Lipkovo]] [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]
| result = NLA victory
| result = Macedonian victory
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|MKD}} [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Macedonia targets rebel stronghold |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1352547.stm |website=BBC News |date=26 May 2001 |access-date=19 May 2022}}</ref>
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|MKD}} [[Republic of Macedonia|Macedonia]]<ref name="BBC">{{cite news |title=Macedonia targets rebel stronghold |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1352547.stm |website=BBC News |date=26 May 2001 |access-date=19 May 2022}}</ref>
| combatant2 = {{Flagicon image|Uck Nla logo.svg|border=|size=22px}} [[National Liberation Army (Albanians of Macedonia)|NLA]]
| combatant2 = {{Flagicon image|Uck Nla logo.svg|border=|size=22px}} [[National Liberation Army (Albanians of Macedonia)|NLA]]

Revision as of 06:43, 1 May 2023

Battle of Vaksince
Part of Macedonia war
Date3 May 2001–6 June 2001
Location
Kumanovo, Lipkovo Macedonia
Result Macedonian victory
Belligerents
North Macedonia Macedonia[1] NLA
Commanders and leaders
North Macedonia Boris Trajkovski
North Macedonia Ljubčo Georgievski
North Macedonia Pande Petrovski
North Macedonia Ljube Boškoski		 Fadil Nimani †[2]
Xhezair Shaqiri
Commander Shpati
Units involved
Army of the Republic of Macedonia Macedonian Army
Law enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia Macedonian Police		 114 Brigade
Strength
2 Mi-24 Attack Helicopters[3][4][5]
3 T-55 tanks[6]		 50 Soldiers[7]
Casualties and losses
2 killed[8]
4 wounded[9][10]
1 POW[8]
1 MI-24 shot down (NLA claim)[11]		 2 killed[12]
11–60 civilians killed[13][14]
12,000 civilians displaced
9,500 fled to Kosovo
2,500 fled to Serbia

The Battle of Vaksince was a military engagement between the Macedonian security forces and Albanian insurgents belonging to the NLA, which was at the time launching a campaign of guerrilla attacks against facilities of the Macedonian Government, the Macedonian Police force, and the Macedonian Armed Forces.[15][16]

Timeline

NLA Attack and Macedonian Counter-offensive

In May 2001, NLA rebels led by Fadil Nimani infiltrated Macedonia and set up bases in several villages to the north of Kumanovo.[17]

On 3 May, the NLA launched an attack on Macedonian security forces in Vaksince, near Kumanovo, killed two Macedonian soldiers and kidnapped a third.[18][8] The NLA then went on to occupy the village and declared the area in and around Vakcince as "liberated zone".[19][8]

On the same day Macedonian Forces decided to launch an Counter-Offensive to reclaim the village seized by th NLA.[8][20][21] Macedonian Forces began the offensive with helicopter gunships and artillery that fired on and around the village of Vaksince[22]

Macedonian Army officials claimed to have managed to destroy fourteen NLA entrenched positions, eight machine-gun bunkers, seven sniper nests, six control points, three arms storage facilities, and one mortar position during the Offensive.[23]

During the Offensive 3 Macedonian Soldiers were wounded, the NLA also claimed to have shot down one MI-24 Attack Helicopter.[24]

Army spokesman Gjordji Trendafilov told the Associated Press that the NLA was holding thousands of villagers as human shields.[25] This was denied by the NLA, who also accused government forces of indiscriminate attacks against Albanian civilians.[26][27]

Second Macedonian Offensive

On 24 May 2001, Macedonian security forces launched another general offensive against the NLA in Kumanovo.[28] Fighting continued into the next day and turned into urban warfare. The police and army infantry had to fight for every house in the large villages of Vaksince and Lojane, two NLA strongholds, as the NLA resisted fiercely. A special police unit called the "Tigers", who specialised in urban counter-guerrilla fighting, was also deployed.[29] On 26 May, NLA rebels withdrew to the Hills around Vaksince.[30] With the withdrawal of the NLA, the Macedonian security forces moved in and recaptured Vaksince.[31] During the clashes, Fadil Nimani, main commander of the NLA in Vaksince, fell in battle, while one Macedonian Soldier was wounded.[32]

NLA rebels said, they would attack and try to recapture the village, as soon as all civilians were evacuated from the village.

NLA Counter-Offensive

Although the Macedonian Army captured Vaksince on 26 may, it took less than 3 Days for the NLA to regain territory in Vaksince.[33]

On 6 June, the NLA retook Vaksince,[34] Georgi Trendafilov denied that the army had been forced out and claimed that there were no "terrorists" in Vaksince and that the army was still in its positions.[34] Nevertheless the Macedonian army shelled Vaksince on 6 June, setting a house on fire, which would be unlikely if they still had occupied the area.[34][35]

On 7 June, Hysamedin Halili (then Mayor of the Lipkovo Municipality) confirmed that the NLA recaptured Vaksince.[36]

Aftermath

In October, Macedonian forces attempted to raid Vaksince, but were stopped and forced to withdraw by the NLA.[37]

The Human Rights Watch, later found out, that Macedonian Forces were arresting and beating Albanian civilias during and after their Offensive from 24-26 May 2001.[38]

References

  1. ^ "Macedonia targets rebel stronghold". BBC News. 26 May 2001. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Убиен Фадил Лимани, командант на терористите за Куманово". Вест. 28 May 2001. Archived from the original on 2 October 2013.
  3. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (26 May 2001). "Rebels Forced From Sites, Macedonia Says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  4. ^ "Macedonia seizes rebel villages". The Irish Times. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  5. ^ Limited, Alamy. "A Macedonian MI-24 helicopter flies around the village of Vaksince May 25, 2001 as Macedonian forces continue their offensive against ethnic Albanian rebels. Tanks also moved in and the army said it had succeeded in cutting through guerrilla lines, surrounding several villages and hamlets strung out in an arc on the slopes of mountains bordering southern Serbia and Kosovo Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  6. ^ "CNN.com - Macedonia attacks rebel bases - May 24, 2001". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  7. ^ "Mazedonien: Offensive gegen Rebellen verschärft Krise". FAZ.NET (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 25 February 2023.
  8. ^ a b c d e Brussels, Nicholas Wood in Kumanovo Macedonia, and agencies in (4 May 2001). "Macedonia strikes at rebels". the Guardian. Retrieved 25 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "Politik: Mazedonien: Albaner räumen umkämpfte Orte nicht". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  10. ^ "Mazedonische Polizei erlangt Kontrolle über Vaksince und Lojane". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  11. ^ "Politik: Mazedonien: Albaner räumen umkämpfte Orte nicht". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  12. ^ "Dëshmorët" (PDF).
  13. ^ "Macedonian rebels under fire". News24. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  14. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (26 May 2001). "Rebels Forced From Sites, Macedonia Says". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  15. ^ "Solana breaks Macedonia deadlock". BBC. 29 May 2001.
  16. ^ Brussels, Nicholas Wood in Kumanovo Macedonia, and agencies in (4 May 2001). "Macedonia strikes at rebels". the Guardian. Retrieved 24 January 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Daskalovski, Zidas (2004). The Macedonian Conflict Of 2001: Between Successful Diplomacy, Rhetoric And Terror (PDF). Centre for Post-Communist Studies, St. Francis Xavier University. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 May 2012. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  18. ^ "Soldiers killed in Macedonia". CNN World. 3 May 2001
  19. ^ "Macedonia attacks rebel forces". CNN World. 3 May 2001
  20. ^ "Macedonia army begins offensive". 3 May 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Macedonia moves against rebels". CNN World. 3 May 2001
  22. ^ "Macedonia villagers caught in crossfire". 4 May 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  23. ^ "КУМАНОВСКИ ФРОНТ – Лабава офанзива или затишје пред бура?" Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. ВЕСТ. 7 May 2001
  24. ^ "Politik: Mazedonien: Albaner räumen umkämpfte Orte nicht". Der Tagesspiegel Online (in German). ISSN 1865-2263. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  25. ^ "Macedonia attacks rebel forces". CNN World. 3 May 2001
  26. ^ "Human shield fears in Macedonia". CNN. Archived from the original on 6 May 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  27. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (5 May 2001). "Offensive Against Rebels Continues". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  28. ^ "АРМ конечно удри врз терористите" Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. ВЕСТ. 25 May 2001
  29. ^ "Ваксинце се освојува куќа по куќа, жесток отпор од терористите" Archived 2 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine. ВЕСТ. 26 May 2001
  30. ^ "Macedonia targets rebel stronghold". 26 May 2001. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  31. ^ "Macedonian forces take villages". CNN World. 26 May 2001
  32. ^ "Mazedonische Polizei erlangt Kontrolle über Vaksince und Lojane". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  33. ^ Terzieff, Juliette (13 June 2001). "Rebels humiliate Macedonian army / Kosovo veterans close to capital". SFGATE. Retrieved 26 January 2023. Government forces have been able to claim few successes in the conflict. When they drove the NLA out of the village of Vaksince two weeks ago, it took less than three days for the rebels to regain a foothold.
  34. ^ a b c "CNN.com - NATO slams Macedonia rebel attacks - June 7, 2001". edition.cnn.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  35. ^ Limited, Alamy. "A house burns in Vaksince village June 6, 2001 near Kumanovo, 25 km northeast capital Skopje. Macedonia threatened to declare a state of war after five soldiers were killed last night in the deadliest attacks by ethnic Albanian rebels in almost six weeks. Prime Minister Ljubco Georgievski was calling for full military mobilization and emergency powers to allow the country to quell the rebellion. RS Stock Photo - Alamy". www.alamy.com. Retrieved 25 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Robertson: NATO, gati që të çarmatosë UÇK - Shqiptarja.com". shqiptarja.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 27 January 2023.
  37. ^ Griffin, David. "Ethnic Albanian rebels accept government-declared amnesty". www.newson6.com. Retrieved 26 January 2023.
  38. ^ "Macedonian Police Abuses Documented. Human Rights Watch. 31 May 2001". phdn.org. Retrieved 26 January 2023.

See also

Insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia

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