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Albania–Yugoslav border incident (April 1999)

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Albanian-Yugoslav border incident
Part of the Kosovo War

Albanian Type 59 Tanks at the border
DateJune 1999
Location
Krumë, Kukës and surrounding villages
Result Albanian victory, Yugoslav forces withdraw
Belligerents

Albania Highlanders
File:Emblem of Albanian MoD.png Albanian Army

UÇK (limited)		 FR Yugoslav Army
Commanders and leaders
AlbaniaAd hoc local militias
File:Emblem of Albanian MoD.png Kudsi Lama		 Unknown
Units involved
Local Albanian militia
Unknown unit of the Albanian Army		 63rd Paratroop Battalion (Serbian brigade)
Strength
Albania 30 Local militians
Albania Unknown Albanian Army		 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 50 63rd Paratroopers[1]
Casualties and losses
Albania 1 militiaman wounded

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 38 Soldiers killed[1][2][3]

Federal Republic of Yugoslavia3 Soldiers P.O.W.[1]
0-3 civillians killed
16 civillians wounded by Serbian Mortars[4]

An Albania-Yugoslav border incident took place in June 1999 when the Yugoslav Army shelled the Albanian border towns around Krumë, Tropojë. At those villages were refugees being housed after fleeing the war in Kosovo by crossing into Albania.[5]

The Yugoslav forces attacked the village Kamenica, but on the Albanian side there were no victims.[6] Mortars can still be found around the village.[7]

Background

Yugoslav paratroopers crossed into Albanian territory to close a route used by the Kosovo Liberation Army for arms transport. The Yugoslavs advanced 8 miles into Albanian territory before being halted by village miltiamen. The Yugoslav units were then fired upon by the militiamen who were defending their villages. After some hours of fighting, the Albanian Army was deployed and started shelling the Yugoslav positions with howitzers, Type 59 tanks and MLRs. Within 10 minutes the Yugoslav forces were retreating from the village. The Albanian Army continued shelling the Yugoslavs while they were retreating back across the border. After the battle, the Albanian army found the burned bodies of 38 Yugoslav soldiers, but only one soldier could be identified by using his driver's license.

The Albanian Army was led by Kudsi Lama,[3] he ordered the tanks and artillery to attack the serbian units who had taken about 5 km form the Albanian territory for 1 or 2 days to stop the Koshare battle.

Reaction

The attack was a very delicate decision, since according to international war rules, Albania could have declared war after the attack of regular troops of anther country. While Albania and OSCE confirmed the Serbian Soldiers in Albanian territory, Yugoslavia denies any incursion occurred.[8]

Reaction of Albania

The Albanian governement confirmed that Yugoslavian soldiers crossed the border.

Reaction of Yugoslavia

In Belgrade, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs official denied any attack had occurred Tuesday and accused Albania of harboring terrorists. The ministry decleared that Yugoslavian troops did not enter Albania.[9]

Reaction of OSCE

The reaction of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe decleared that the Serbian Soldiers crossed the border.[9]

Yugoslav bombing

Serbian soldiers of the Yugoslav Army dropped at least 10 shells on the town of Krumë, where hundreds of ethnic Albanian refugees from Kosovo war had been living. The shelling hapenned just before midnight, prompted a mass exodus of the refugees to the town of Kukes, some 10 miles from the Kosovo-Albanian border.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c Daniszewski, John (14 April 1999). "Yugoslav Troops Said to Cross Into Albania". Los Angeles Times.
  2. ^ Daly, Emma (14 April 1999). "War In The Balkans: Serbs enter Albania and burn village". The Independent.
  3. ^ a b Katamaj, Halil (2002), Kudusi Lama, gjenerali i luftes : Divizioni i Kukësit gjatë Luftës së Kosovës, Tiranë: Mokra, ISBN 9992778105
  4. ^ Daly, Emma (14 April 1999). "War In The Balkans: Serbs enter Albania and burn village". The Independent.
  5. ^ a b Fisher, Ian (7 June 1999). "Surge of Fighting on Kosovo-Albania Border / Refugees on the run again for safety". New York Times.
  6. ^ Daly, Emma (14 April 1999). "War In The Balkans: Serbs enter Albania and burn village". The Independent.
  7. ^ "Tropojë, gjendet predhë murtajë 100 m nga banesat". Balkanweb. 2 September 1999.
  8. ^ "Albania says Serb forces cross border, occupy village". CNN.
  9. ^ a b "Albania says Serb forces cross border, occupy village". CNN.

Further reading

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