Attack on Prekaz
{{Infobox Military Conflict
|conflict=Attack on Prekaz
|image=
|caption=
|partof= Kosovo War
|date= March 5, 1998 - March 7, 1998[1]
|place= Prekaz, Kosovo, Serbia, FR Yugoslavia
|result= Decisive Yugoslav victory
|combatant1= 
Serbian police - SAJ (Special Anti-terrorist Unit)
|combatant2= 
Kosovo Liberation Army
|commander1= Sreten Lukić
|commander2= [[File: † Adem Jashari
† Hamëz Jashari
|strength1= ~100 policemen
|strength2=28 KLA fighters
|casualties1= 4 killed
3 wounded[2]
|casualties2=28 fighters killed
48 civilians killed[2]
}}
The Attack on Prekaz (also known as Prekaz massacre[3][4][5]) was an operation led by the Serbian police Anti-terrorist Unit, launched on March 5, 1998. During the operation, the leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, Adem Jashari and his brother, also a member, Hamëz Jashari, were killed along with more than 50 other family members, including women and children.[6]
Background
On December 30, 1991, when Adem Jashari and Hamëz Jashari were at home in Prekaz, Serbian police surrounded them in an unsuccessful attempt to capture or kill them. They broke the siege and later participated in several actions against Serbian army and police.[2]
Later when the Kosovo war began Adem and Hamez were members of the Kosovo Liberation Army that fought Serbian police and army in an attempt to gain independence from Serbia. On February 28, 1998, a group of insurgents led by Adem Jashari attacked Serbian police patrols killing four policemen and injuring two. In the attack sixteen KLA members were killed.[2]
Operation
At dawn of March 5, 1998, the KLA launched another attack on police patrol in Donje Prekaze.[7] After the second attack, police prepared a strong response. They started attacking KLA members who were forced to retreat to Jashari's compound in the same village.[2]
Serbian police surrounded the group and invited them to surrender, while urging all other persons to clear the premises. The police gave them two hours to comply. Within the given deadline, dozens of civilians complied with the order and dispersed in safety from the stronghold.[2]
After the two-hour deadline expired, Jashari's group responded with fire using heavy weapons - mortars, machine guns, hand grenades, automatic and sniper guns killing two and injuring three policemen.[2]
Aftermath
The Serbian government expressed "regret and bitterness that these were the victims of ethnic Albanian terrorists' cruelty and ruthlessness", claimed police had no way of knowing there were civilians present, and that KLA members were guilty because they did not allow civilians to leave the stronghold.[2]
See also
References
- ^ In all available Jashari's biographies March 7, 1998 is referred as his death date (including his Wikipedia page).
- ^ a b c d e f g h BBC News: Kosovo killings: Belgrade's official version of events
- ^ Behind the Kosovo crisis
- ^ "Prekaz massacre" on Google Books
- ^ Prekaz massacre (ICTY)
- ^ The Drenica Massacres (Human Rights Watch)
- ^ Human Rights Watch: Violence in Kosovo