Battle of Podujevo

Battle of Podujevo
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 23–27 December 1998 Location Podujevo, Kosovo, Yugoslavia Result Ceasefire Dozens of Serbian offensives have failed and been repelled Yugoslav forces suffer heavy losses KLA manages to keep the ZOLL headquarters under their control
Belligerents
Yugoslavia	Kosovo Liberation Army
Commanders and leaders
Sreten Lukić	Unknown
Units involved
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit	Unknown
Strength
250 policemen 13 armored vehicles	25 militants
Casualties and losses
Heavy losses 1 killed 6 wounded 1 tank destroyed(probably T-55 tank)	10 killed

The Battle of Podujevo (Albanian: Beteja e Tabeve te Llapashticës; Serbian: Битка код Подујева, Bitka kod Podujeva) was fought in the Kosovo War between the Yugoslav Special Anti-Terrorist Unit and KLA insurgents in the village of Llapashtica e Epërme in the municipality of Podujevo. These events started after the death of a policeman who was killed by KLA militants in the area.

Battle

The battle occurred between 23–27 December 1998. Yugoslav forces had the goal of destroying the ZOLL (Operation Zone Llap) headquarters of the KLA. Before reaching the village of the ZOLL headquarters, the Yugoslav forces were met with strong resistance of the KLA at Tabe. A fierce battle ensued and dozens of Yugoslav offensives were shattered, leaving the Yugoslav forces with heavy losses. According to international monitors who contributed to Operation Eagle Eye, this battle shattered a ceasefire called on by foreign forces. At the conclusion of the fighting, the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission monitored a convoy of Yugoslav Army vehicles.

On 27 December at approximately 12:50, the Yugoslav Army launched an offensive against the KLA with heavy artillery and tanks, but this offensive failed and was repelled. The Serbian Army launched dozens of offensives against the KLA positions using heavy tanks, artillery, armored vehicles and numerous soldiers in the villages of Llapashtic, Majac and Lupç in the hope of breaking the KLA's resistance and expelling them from the positions, but the KLA managed to repel all attacks and hold its positions.