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Battle of Matejče

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Battle of Matejče
Part of the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia
Date24 May – 5 June 2001
Location
Matejče, Macedonia
Result NLA victory[1][2][3][4]
Territorial
changes		 NLA captures Matejče and declares complete control over it on 6 June 2001[4][5][6]
Belligerents
National Liberation Army  Macedonia
Commanders and leaders
Hajrulla Misini[7]
Beqir Sadiku
Nazmi Sulejmani
Lefter Koxhaj		 Army of the Republic of Macedonia Pande Petrovski
Army of the Republic of Macedonia Vlado Bučkovski
Army of the Republic of Macedonia Blagoja Markovski
Law enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia Stojanče Angelov
Units involved
113th Brigade "Ismet Jashari"
114th Brigade[8]
Skanderbeg special unit		 Army of the Republic of Macedonia Macedonian Army
Law enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia Macedonian Police
"Tigar" Special Police Unit[9]
Strength
Unknown Law enforcement in the Republic of Macedonia 50 officers (start of the battle)
Army of the Republic of Macedonia Unknown
Army of the Republic of Macedonia 3 T-55 tanks[10]
Army of the Republic of Macedonia 20 armoured vehicles[10]
Army of the Republic of Macedonia Mil Mi-24s[11]
Casualties and losses
8 killed[12] Army of the Republic of Macedonia 1 killed[13]
Army of the Republic of Macedonia 3 wounded[13][14][15]
Army of the Republic of Macedonia 1 tank destroyed[15]
8 Macedonian Serbs abused by NLA[16]
Around 20 people kidnapped by NLA[17]
Matejče Monastery destroyed by NLA[18]
Matejče Mosque destroyed by Macedonian shelling[19]

The Battle of Matejče (Macedonian: Битката кај Матејче Albanian: Beteja e Mateçit) was a military confrontation between the National Liberation Army (NLA) and the Macedonian Army in the village of Matejče during the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia. The NLA succeeded in capturing the village on 5 June 2001[3][4] and the Macedonian Army was forced to withdraw from Matejče.[1][20][5][21] The Macedonian Army continued to shell Matejče until 11 June 2001.[22]

Battle

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Matejče Mosque destroyed during the battle

Initial NLA attack

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On 24 May 2001, in the aftermath of heavy fighting between the insurgents and Macedonian forces in the nearby villages of Vaksince and Slupčane, dozens of NLA insurgents entered Matejče and attacked the local police station.[23]

Macedonian response

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On 26 May, Macedonian forces launched a large-scale assault on the NLA positions. The Macedonians succeeded in retaking much of Matejče and pushing the NLA to the very outskirts of the village.[24][25] During the assault, one Macedonian soldier was wounded by NLA mortar fire.[14]

NLA counter-attack and main combat phase

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On May 27, after the successful Macedonian advance, the NLA began a counter-attack, engaging the Macedonian forces with heavy mortar and sniper fire, eventually capturing a part of the village and surrounding the local police station.[11][10][26]

On the same day, a Macedonian Army convoy of around 20 APCs, three T-55 tanks and a bus with policemen were sent to the village.[10] Later that day the Macedonian Army also used Mil Mi-24 helicopter gunships, artillery and tanks to target suspected guerrilla positions in Matejče.[11]

Fighting resumed the next day, with the NLA firing five 120-millimeter mortar shells.[27]

During the fighting on 30 May, a Macedonian truck ran over an NLA-planted mine, wounding three members of the tigers special police unit.[13] One of the officers was seriously wounded due to the assault and in October died in hospital in Skopje due to injuries.[28][29]

From 1 to 3 June, Macedonian forces again shelled Matejče and again tried to regain control of the area.[30][31][32] However, on June 5 the NLA captured the village and Macedonian forces were forced to withdraw.[1][3][4][33] On 6 June the NLA confirmed to have regained complete control over Matejče and Vaksince.[5]

Personnel killed in the battle

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NLA personnel

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Macedonian personnel

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Aftermath

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During the battle eleven NLA militants were killed, most of them while trying to regain lost ground during the NLA counter-attack.[12][35] One Macedonian T-55 tank was destroyed.[15][36] According to Macedonian general Pande Petrovski, the tank was destroyed by friendly fire.[15] Per AP News, it was believed that eight Macedonian soldiers were killed in the destroyed tank.[37][13][15] The village mosque was completely destroyed during the fighting.[19] On 11 June the Matejče Monastery as well as homes of ethnic Macedonian civilians were destroyed and burned by the Albanian militants.[38][39]

According to Human Rights Watch, the NLA physically abused eight Serb civilians in the village.[40] Macedonian propaganda later claimed the NLA were holding civilians as human shields, this claim was proven false when local civilians admitted they were staying in the combat zone out of fear of falling into the hands of the Macedonian police.[41]

References

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  1. ^ a b c Phillips, John (2004-01-01). Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans. Yale University Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-300-10268-0. In late May, government forces registered their first success with the recapture of Vaksince, which was visited by Ljube Boskovski, the Interior Minister. Government forces were supposed to resume their attack on the villages of Slupcane, Lipkovo and Matejce, but the offensive stalled when a special forces unit mutinied and had to be withdrawn from the front line.
  2. ^ "Macedonia Frontline | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 2023-02-03. But the Macedonians, who according to the Albanians, only had three tanks in Matejce, lost their part of the village after a fierce battle.
  3. ^ a b c "MACEDONIA:THE CONFLICT AND THE MEDIA" (PDF). Macedonian Institute for Media. Fighting around Matejce lasted from May 28 until June 5. The first sign that the battle against the UCK was not going well came when the Macedonian forces were finally forced to retreat.
  4. ^ a b c d Krzak, Andrzej (2014-07-26). "Asymmetry of the Albanian‑Macedonian Military Conflict in 2001: Military characteristics of the fight in the regions of Tetovo , Kumanovo , Aračinovo and Vaksince". Politeja. 11 (4 (30)): 295–316. doi:10.12797/Politeja.11.2014.30.23. ISSN 2391-6737. The fighting of Albanians ended up with a success in the region of Kumanovo. The Albanian rebels, concerning the inaction of the government forces, took control of the area from the Matejche (Matejce) village to the Lipkovo Lake. As a result, their positions allowed to observe the region of the capital of Macedonia – Skopje.
  5. ^ a b c "CNN - NATO slams Macedonia rebel attacks - June 7, 2001". CNN. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  6. ^ "Vorstoss der Rebellen in Mazedonien". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2001-05-04. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-11-29. Ebenfalls unter Kontrolle der Freischärler befindet sich offenbar das Dorf Matejce. Doch gelang dort die Machtübernahme anscheinend nicht reibungslos; nach mazedonischen Quellen wurden rund 20 Personen entführt
  7. ^ "Macedonian Guns Helicopters Hit Rebel Village". Islamweb. Retrieved 2023-01-22.
  8. ^ Dnevnik. 18 март 2006: "Според изјавите на уапсениот Садула Мурати 113-та бригада броела околу 1.400 припадници кои делувале од селото Лојане до Матејче, додека од Матејче до Никуштак активности имала 114-та бригада "Фадил Нимани-Тигар", кој беше убиен во борбите во Кумановско."
  9. ^ Phillips, John (2004-01-01). Macedonia: Warlords and Rebels in the Balkans. Yale University Press. p. 113. ISBN 978-0-300-10268-0.
  10. ^ a b c d "Rebels in clashes with Macedonian troops". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  11. ^ a b c Holley, David (2001-05-27). "Macedonian Official Vows to Restore Order to Villages". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  12. ^ a b "Dëshmorët" (PDF).
  13. ^ a b c d "071031ED". www.icty.org. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  14. ^ a b "CNN - Macedonian forces take villages - May 26, 2001". CNN. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  15. ^ a b c d e Petrovski, Pande. "Testimonials-2001.pdf" (PDF). Retrieved 4 September 2022. They sent the one tank along the way from the south to the north of the village and to the mosque. About 30 to 40 metres behind the tank they filled bags with sand and made shelters, in other words they built a check point. Then, because supposedly there were terrorists in the mosque, they started to act. In this action, a police officer hit the tank with a weapon "zolia" - certainly not intentionally. The driver of the tank was wounded and the tank was set ablaze in front of the mosque
  16. ^ "Macedonia: Albanian Rebel Abuses of Serb Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 2001-06-06. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  17. ^ "Vorstoss der Rebellen in Mazedonien". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2001-05-04. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-11-29. Ebenfalls unter Kontrolle der Freischärler befindet sich offenbar das Dorf Matejce. Doch gelang dort die Machtübernahme anscheinend nicht reibungslos; nach mazedonischen Quellen wurden rund 20 Personen entführt
  18. ^ Strahl, Tobias (2018). Kultur, Erbe, Konflikt : Kulturgutzerstörung in Kroatien, Bosnien-Herzegovina und Kosovo 1991-2004. Gottingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. ISBN 978-3-412-50249-2. OCLC 1080084985.
  19. ^ a b Budapest, Nick Thorpe in (2001-05-29). "Rebels withstand Skopje's onslaught". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  20. ^ "Macedonia Frontline | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 2023-02-03. But the Macedonians, who according to the Albanians, only had three tanks in Matejce, lost their part of the village after a fierce battle.
  21. ^ "Vorstoss der Rebellen in Mazedonien". Neue Zürcher Zeitung (in Swiss High German). 2001-05-04. ISSN 0376-6829. Retrieved 2023-11-29. Ebenfalls unter Kontrolle der Freischärler befindet sich offenbar das Dorf Matejce. Doch gelang dort die Machtübernahme anscheinend nicht reibungslos; nach mazedonischen Quellen wurden rund 20 Personen entführt
  22. ^ "Macedonia: Army Suspends Operations In Kumanovo-Lipkovo". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 9 April 2008. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  23. ^ "MACEDONIA: ALBANIAN REBEL ABUSES OF SERB CIVILIANS (Human Rights Watch, 7 June 2001) - balcani@peacelink.it". Liste PeaceLink (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  24. ^ "Albanians rebels do a deal". News24. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  25. ^ "Macedonia blasts rebel village". 2001-05-28. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  26. ^ Krzak, Andrzej (2014-07-26). "Asymmetry of the Albanian‑Macedonian Military Conflict in 2001: Military characteristics of the fight in the regions of Tetovo , Kumanovo , Aračinovo and Vaksince". Politeja. 11 (4 (30)): 295–316. doi:10.12797/Politeja.11.2014.30.23. ISSN 2391-6737. Brigades backed with reinforcements from Kosovo came to counter--attack, leading offensive operations in the Slupchane (Slupcane) -Orizari -Otlja aiming to regain control of the village Matejche (Matejce).
  27. ^ Holley, David (2001-05-29). "Fear Grows That Macedonia Strife May Hit Capital". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  28. ^ "Девет лути рани (4)". МКД.мк. 17 October 2016. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  29. ^ "Откривање на споменикот на загинатиот бранител Серафимов". Tocka.com.mk. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  30. ^ Reuter (2001-06-02). "Macedonian Troops Again Trying to Retake Rebel-Held Village". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  31. ^ "Macedonian Troops Try Again to Retake Village". Tehran Times. 2001-06-02. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  32. ^ "CNN - Macedonia troops battle for village - June 2, 2001". CNN. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  33. ^ "Macedonia Frontline | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 2023-02-03. But the Macedonians, who according to the Albanians, only had three tanks in Matejce, lost their part of the village after a fierce battle.
  34. ^ "Откривање на споменикот на загинатиот бранител Серафимов". Tocka.com.mk. 27 October 2012. Retrieved 2016-10-19.
  35. ^ Archives, L. A. Times (2001-06-03). "Rebels, Troops Clash Anew in Northern Village". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  36. ^ Petrovski, Pande. "СВЕДОШТВА 2001" (PDF). Retrieved 4 September 2022. При нападот, ноќта еден тенк се заглави во Кривеничка Река, онеспособен и оставен во реката. Покасно терористите го извлекоа и пласираа како заробиле тенк од АРМ [During the attack, at night one tank got stuck in Krivenicka Reka, it was disabled and left in the river. The terrorists later they pulled out and marketed as having captured an ARM tank]
  37. ^ "Macedonia Frontline | AP Archive". www.aparchive.com. Retrieved 2023-02-03. Disabled Macedonian army tank believed to contain eight dead soldiers, destroyed in battle to retake village, which Macedonians lost
  38. ^ AndreasGregorDesign, Munich. "Peace Counts". www.peace-counts.de (in German). Retrieved 2023-01-23.
  39. ^ United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. "Refworld | U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2001 - Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of". Refworld. Retrieved 2023-02-02.
  40. ^ "Macedonia: Albanian Rebel Abuses of Serb Civilians". Human Rights Watch. 6 June 2001. Retrieved 21 June 2023.
  41. ^ RATHFELDER, ERICH (2001-05-30). "Erst getrennt und dann geschlagen". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). p. 10. ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
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