FIVE MONTHS OF WAR IN KOSOVA

                              Army wars in KOSOVA
 
FIVE MONTHS OF WAR IN KOSOVA (chronology)

Last bits of illusions of escaping war in Kosova

Serbs provoked war on 24 February

28th February of this year, shook the very foundations of Kosova. It was the day that the Serb police forces massacred 24 Albanians. Only one week after that, the Serbs attacked PRekëz and the Jashari family, marking the day when fighting in Kosova would become part of everyday life. From 5 March, the little hope that remained, for Kosova not to be the last chapter of the bloody history of the disintegration of a country, was lost and shattered, just like many houses were shattered by the grenades thrown at PRekëz.
     Fifty-four corpses which came with the dawn of 5 March, including 12 children, 13 women and 5 elders, marked the beginning of the living fear, the end of which is impossible to predict. PRekëz, Llaushë, Polac, Vojnikë, Açarevë, Rezallë, Jashanicë... 5,000 inhabitants that fled to Vushtrri and Shipol... Scenes from Serb crusades in former Yugoslavia devastated the people of Kosova, who after eight years of futile politics, now face the rotation of underground modus vivendi.
     The fighting in Kosova encompassed 18 from 30 municipalities in Kosova for a very short period of time. Police reinforcements kept pouring in.
     13 buses, five trucks and 15 Land Rovers loaded with police arrived in Skënderaj on 15 March, and were stationed at the Ammunition Factory.
     In the meantime, the presidential elections of Kosova were held, on 22 March. Polls were not held in PRekëz, Llaushë, Vojnikë and Açarevë. The KLA requested for the elections of 22 March to be annulled.
     The villages of Gllogjan, Gramaçel, Baballoç and Dubravë were attacked by Serb forces, which used helicopter gunships and heavy artillery, on 23 March, the same day when the Protocol for the Implementation of the Educational Agreement was reached. The police checkpoint in Kijevë was attacked a day after that.
     The Serb police\military forces began their campaign near the border with Albania on 16 April, under the pretext of protecting the border. The villages of Ponoshec and Morinë, in the region of Rekë e Keqe, were attacked.
     The month of April was followed by perpetual attacks in the border region, Drenica and Deçan. Serb forces were stationed in the health house in Deçan, heavy artillery was stationed in Qafa e Duhlës and Gjakovë was the site of extremely large police forces. Combined special police forces and SAJ (special anti-terrorist units) shelled the villages close to the Albanian border. Baballoç as well as Hereç and Gramaçel, were attacked with heavy artillery. The coming days witnessed intensified operations aimed at creating a "tampon zone" and ethnic cleansing of the border region. Serb forces claim that 22 Albanians were killed during an "attempt of terrorist formations to pass the border from Albania" on 22 April. Police reinforcements arrived in Istog the same day.
     The large-scale offensive of police and military forces, for taking the strategic point in the plain of Dukagjin, Jabllanicë, began on 24 April. Sporadic fighting continued in a parallel way in Drenica. Police\military reinforcements arrived in the region of Llap. Rugova repudiated the KLA saying that the "KLA is a Serb game".

War in Dukagjin Plain

"Military" exercises in the region of Gjakovë turn into an offensive, targeting the villages of Cërmjan, Gërgoc and Zhdrellë. 26 April marked the fifth consequent day that Baballoç and the surrounding villages were attacked. 20 houses were destroyed by heavy artillery, while 16 corpses were identified at the border with Albania (10 from Gjakovë, 6 from Deçan). The villages of Hulaj and Voksh were shelled the next day. The deaths of four Serb soldiers and three Albanians were confirmed. Two policemen were wounded and two APCs were destroyed in Krushë e Vogël (Prizren municipality).
     Sporadic fighting engulfed Kosova aimed at taking major roads under control. The Serb police had access to all of them, but was surrounded by KLA forces. It was impossible to draw the frontline because it didn't exist. Fighting was restricted in shelling from afar and blocking roads that lead to endangered zones as means for preventing humanitarian aid. The Serb police undertook another attack on 28 April, against the villages of Klinë -- Resnik and Siçevë (between Rigjevë and Gllarevë) -- aiming at isolating the KLA units from the border region and stopping means of communication.
     3 May marks new momentum in the Serb military operations for cleansing the border region. The villages of Rekë e Keqe - Ponoshec, Brovinë, Batushë and Morinë - are again target of attacks. The most intense clashes that took place were in Ponoshec, Morinë, Smolicë on one side, and Malishevë and Llaushë, on the other.
     Ponoshec, Smolicë and Baballoç were attacked with all kinds of different weapons on 10 May. Baballoç and Carrabreg were shelled from Serb strategic points in Hulaj and Zabel. The conflict then expanded, including Komoran and Sllatinë and taking Rahovec over the next day. The villages of Ratkoc, Radostë, Bratotin and Brestovc were shelled. Six Albanians and four policemen were confirmed killed. A short time after, on 13 May, another 10 Albanians were killed in Ponoshec and Smolicë.
     The meeting held between Kosova Albanian leader, Ibrahim Rugova and "FRY" President, Slobodan Milosevic, on 15 May, coincides with an upturn in the intensity of clashes.
     A real combat took place in the village of Xërxë at the same time, while, on the other hand, Serb police\military forces undertook a large-scale attack against Padalishtë.
     The outcome of clashes on 17 May - 2 Albanians killed in Çitak, two others close to Junik.

War in Drenica

Serb forces continue with their assault in Klinë and Drenica, which resulted with the killing of two Albanians in Çitak and four in Stapanicë. The villages of Zajm and Grabanicë turn into ruins by this time. Another problem comes to life for Kosovars, with Serbia imposing an artificial embargo on Kosova.
     Serb forces step up their use of weapons by starting to use missiles in the border region. Smolicë, Morinë and Stubëll were shelled from the mountaintop of Pllanik, while in the meantime, the neighborhood of Gecaj was shelled in Llaushë. The death toll still increased.
     On 22 May, the battles neared Klinë, with Serbs shelling from motel "Nora". There were indications of a Serb assault in the municipality of Deçan, where two villages, Prejlep and Drenoc were shelled. Tension mounted in the nearby village of Gllogjan as well. However, the Serb forces withdrew from Drenoc and Prejlep after the attack.
     The Serb offensive against the villages of the municipality of Klinë began on 23 May.
     Prejlep and Drenoc were still bombarded from a distance. Shortly after, on 25 May, Serb forces succeeded to create a "buffer-zone" empty of Albanians, which extended from the border region and all the way up to the villages of Deçan. Three Albanians were executed in Deçan on 26 May. 15 Albanian civilians were killed in Klinë the same day, as 8 members of Hamza family get executed in Lybeniq.
     Low-intensity fighting began on 27 May in Deçan, followed by door-to-door looting. The villages of Çikatovë e Vjetër and Poklek i Vjetër in Deçan were shelled, while a neighborhood in Mitrovicë, Tavnik, echoed in shooting. The attack in Deçan was followed by the deployment of special Serb units in Pejë, on 28 May. Elite units of the "Yugoslav" army, known for crimes they committed in Bosnia, were among them.
     The villages of Llapushnik, Potërkë, Vukovc, Orllat and Negroc -- in the municipality of Gllogoc -- were shelled, while the villages of Smolicë, Berjahë, Ponoshec, Popoc and Morinë -- Gjakovë municipality --were also shelled.
     Lugu i Baranit, in Pejë, the villages of Skënderaj, Gjakovë, Junik, Batushë as well as the canyon of Llapushnik, were the scene of extremely intense clashes. By this time, the KLA created a zone where they could operate freely, using it for food and arm provision.

Face-to-face fighting in Deçan

Face-to-face fighting in Deçan, entered the third day on 31 May. Fighting incorporates Carrabreg and Isniq and spreads all the way up to Raushiq.
     Serb forces were defeated at the canyon of Llapushnik on 1 June, when the KLA forces took these strategic positions which was close to the checkpoint in Komoran. The Serb police reacts, by massacring civilians in Poklek i Ri. Deçan, by this time, was demolished as the villages near the border with Albania burned in flames. The first Kosovars were able to make it to Tropojë, were they sought refuge.
     Deçan was attacked on 2 June as well, with the Serb forces using helicopter gunships once again. The number of refugees, on the other hand, continues to increase. The villages at the border turned into ruins by this time. Serb forces were still shelling Gllogjan, Gramaçel and the region of Rekë e Keqe by 4 June.
     This is when IDPs from Deçan were able to give their accounts. 52 Albanians were registered killed, 200 missing, 150 hostages and 30,000 IDPs.
     45 corpses were identified a day after and it was reported that 202 were being kept hostage by Serb paramilitary formations. This was the time when Serb war planes also engaged in attacking Deçan.
     The next day, on 7 June, Serb warplanes attack the villages at the border, only to be followed by attacks against Dujakë, Gramaçel and Novosellë the day after. 20 houses were destroyed in Strellc i Epërm at the same time.
     The region of Rekë e Keqe was still involved in clashes while the military garrison in Valjevo focuses in Mitrovicë.
     The resistance of KLA forces was obvious, despite the damage caused in Deçan. Fighting continues on 12 June. Clashes in Duhël and Carralevë prove KLA efforts to stop movements of Serb police\military forces along the Prishtina-Prizren route.

Helicopter gunships attack Junik

Junik was subjected to attacks of Serb helicopter gunships on 15 June. This resulted with the increase of the flux of Kosovar refugees into Albania. Other Serb forces then stationed in Xërxë. Suharekë, Bllacë and Duhël were threatened by new clashes by now.
     On 23 June, the Albanian Premier, Nano, stated: "The Albanian nation is now at war with another nation, the Serb nation". In the meantime, KLA forces, encouraged with the success they had a short time before, by the control they had in Malishevë and the Prishtina-Pejë road, takes the open mine pit in Bellaqefc under control. At the same time, Serb civilians in Pantinë attack their Albanian neighbors. The conflict nears Prishtina.
     The American Ambassador to the UN, Richard Holbrooke, stated that "Kijevë is the most dangerous place in Europe", after trying to initiate negotiations in vain.
     Serb police\military forces surrounded Bellaqefc on 28 June, while at the same time, the road Suharekë-Shtime was closed for traffic. The situation deteriorates in Kijevë, where the KLA controlled the periphery, after Holbrooke's statement. Serb police forces attacked Kijevë with helicopters on 28 June, while missiles target the villages close to Malishevë and Klinë.
     The same positions remain in Deçan like on 21 April, while Serb forces attack Bellaqefc and the surrounding villages. The attack on Bellaqefc resulted with the population there seeking shelter in safer areas, like the villages of Graboc i Epërm, Graboc i Poshtëm, Hade, Pomozotin and Lismir.
     Battlegrounds extended from the surrounding villages of Prishtina and down to the Albanian border on 2 July.
     Serb forces suffered much loss in Drenoc, where two Albanians were killed and seven others wounded.

Fighting close to Prishtina

The declared attack of Serb police\military against Kijevë took place on 3 July. More than 50 tanks went to Kijevë, from Pejë, to participate in the attack. Parallel to this, clashes also took place in the villages of Bubavec, Dollc, Jashanicë, Ujëmirë and Rigjevë.
     A bomb, planted on a vehicle exploded at 0600CET, the very same day in Prishtina. The danger of Prishtina being included in fighting, came closer.
     Clashes took place in Bellaqefc, Deçan, Gjakovë, Kijevë and Suharekë on 6 July. The next day, following the visit of the Vice President of the Serbian Government, Vojislav Seselj to Gorazhdec, Serb police\military forces begin yet another large-scale attack. This time, against Loxhë, the suburb of Pejë.
     However, they were forced to withdraw because of the large number of KLA units who arrived in Loxhë to defend it.
     Clashes in Rekë e Keqe had no signs of cessation during this time, on 9 and 10 July. The villages in this region, were subjected to powerful attack of Serb forces, which resulted with the killing of five Albanian, who were buried by the Serb police without prior identification. The only information about them was that they were all from Rekë e Keqe.
     Serb forces experience a powerful blow on 11 July in the border region. More than 60 Serb soldiers and policemen were killed. Fighting in Loxhë resumed the next day as well. Serb police\military forces, backed by armed civilians from Gorazhdec, attack Loxhë with 10 surface-to-surface missiles. KLA units respond to the attack with twenty such missiles.
     On the other hand, Albanian sources claim that at least five policemen were killed in the region of Deçan on 12 July. Serb sources confirm two policemen killed, one in Carrabreg and another in Strellc. The village of Isniq was shelled in sign of vengeance.

Fighting in Shala e Bajgorës

Clashes took place in Shala e Bajgorës as well, starting from 13 July. The inhabitants of the villages of Mazhiq, Vidishiq, Stantërg, Rekë and parts of the villages of Zasellë and Shupkoc, were evacuated...
     Serb forces approached Graboc, as they used heavy artillery to attack Morinë, Smolicë, Nec and Ramoc. The village of Drenoc in the municipality of Rahovec, as well as the village of Peçan, in the municipality of Suharekë, were shelled, resulting with two Albanians killed and twelve wounded.
     The next day, on 14 July, fighting included the whole border region. As for the clashes that took place in Shala e Bajgorës, they resulted with the wounding of four Albanians.
     Fighting took place in Prejlep and Carrabreg the same day as well, while Serb forces shelled the villages of Suharekë from their positions in Landovicë. The next day, fighting moves from Drenica and Mitrovicë.
     Clashes between KLA units and Serb forces take place in a neighborhood of Prizren on 16 July, while the Parliament of the Republic of Kosova was being constituted in Prishtina. Two people were killed near Deçan and Shala e Bajgorës was shelled the same day.
     At least eight Serb policemen and soldiers were killed on Saturday, 18 July, in the village of Shkozë (Rahovec mun.). This made the Serb forces launch grenades from their positions in Hoçë e Madhe.
     7,000 residences were destroyed by this time, with the material damage evaluated at 1,6 billion Deutsche Marks.
     Military units wound around 30 Kosovars in the territory of Albania on 19 July, while Serb forces claim to have killed at least 30. While seven persons were killed in different fighting zones on 19 July, 25,000 Albanians flee to Malishevë -- Rahovec was the site of intense clashes. Fighting in Deçan continues, in the villages of Prejlep, Carrabreg i Poshtëm and Strellc i Epërm.
     News on crimes committed by Serb police, military and paramilitary forces in Rahovec, arrive the next day. Hundreds of Albanians are believed to have been killed. KLA had Rahovec under control still by 21 July, as reports on casualties pour in.
     The death toll in the border region was estimated at rough 60.
     Rahovec fell into the hands of Serb forces on 23 July, while even more people fled from this town to Malishevë. The KLA had the periphery of this town under control only, by that day. The number of victims is still unknown. It is believed that the police buried the victims in mass graves.
     Fushticë e Poshtme and Sankoc were up in flames on 24 July, due to shelling by VJ forces. The whole time through, reinforcements arrived through Përpelac, while two houses in the village of Nerodime e Epërme (Ferizaj mun.) were destroyed.
     Serb police\military forces begin another large-scale attack on 25 July, this time, aiming at seizing Malishevë. Attacks continue against the villages of Belincë, Zborc, Carralevë and Raçak in Shtime, Komoran and Potërkë in Gllogoc, Gremnik, Jashanicë, Gllarevë, Cerrovik, Stapanicë, Rigjevë and Zabërgjë in Klinë. Confrontations continue in Gjakovë, with detonations so powerful that they could be heard from far off. Pejë was taken under siege. Four corpses were brought to this town's morgue, while an explosion was heard coming from the military barrack in Mitrovicë, which is in a completely different end of Kosova.
     Serb forces continued their attack yesterday as well. There are reports about fighting in Carralevë, Qafa e Duhlës, Bllacë, Llapushnik...Serb military units are now publicly involved in the conflict. They, along with police forces, surrounded the KLA-controlled zone, which is now host to most of the IDPs.
     In the beginning, it was names, later on it was numbers, now the victims have become statistics. The death toll among Albanians in the past fives months in Kosova is well over 600, even though this number has not been confirmed so far. According to the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms, there were 469 victims, not counting the victims of the latest incidents at the border and those massacred in Rahovec, the exact number of which is still unknown.
 

FIVE MONTHS OF WAR IN KOSOVA (military/police forces opposed to Albanians)

What kind of military and police forces are Albanians faced with?

Prishtina, 27 July (ARTA) 1320CET--

"Kosova might be Serbia's Jerusalem but Serbs are not Jews". This was the evaluation of a Serb columnist in April of this year, when the war between the KLA formations on one side and the Serb armed forces on the other side had then started. This war began taking the features of a war, whose consequences will greatly effect the peace and stability in the Balkans.
     War in Kosova started intensively, by the end of February following the massacre of 24 people, including women and children, from the villages Likoshan and Qirez, municipality of Gllogoc and Skënderaj. With time, its intensity increased expanding its front lines in more than 100 kilometers and increasing the number of the victims following every attack or offensive, be that among the police or the KLA.

Who was engaged at the beginning of the war in Kosova?

     Belgrade's tactic to rid the Albanian armed "rebellion" was commented by the western diplomacy as a completely counterproductive tactic, ever since the beginning. Moreover, even this was a tactic that according to the foreign diplomats and analysts caused the number of KLA members to increase enormously in a very short time.
     Nevertheless, different sources, ever since the beginning of this year, have claimed that more that 13.000 policemen were present in Kosova. After the massacre in Drenica, by the end of February and the beginning of March, about 25.000 new police forces were transferred or brought to Kosova. These were reinforcements, made of regular units or reservist formations, armed with paramilitary equipment, including APCs and helicopters. This raised the total number of the policemen in Kosova to 38.000. Right before the last offensive of the Serb armed forces in Kosova, which is still taking place today, a considerable number of forces was again brought in, raising the number of the policemen in July to 50.000, for which it is claimed to be largely helped by over 10.000 soldiers that were already settled in the military barracks and camps all over Kosova.
     However, it is claimed that ever since the beginning of the armed conflict in Kosova, special Serb units and elite units known as Special Anti-terrorist Units (Specijalne Antiteroristicke Jedinice - SAJ) and different special forces, uniformed under the secret Serb police command, are actively participating.

What is SAJ?

The Special Anti-terrorist Units of the Police, or SAJ, are elite police formations created to act in extraordinary circumstances. They were established three years ago. Initially they were settled in Belgrade's airport and their first commander was Radovan Stojicic – Badza (killed last year, in still, officially unclear circumstances).
     Later, these units were transferred to Batajnica and their new commander became Zoran Simovic - Tutinac. At the highest level, the command over SAJ was trusted to general Obrad Stejanovic, otherwise commander of the units for special operations in the Ministry of Interior of Serbia.
     The foreign and local journalists would meet SAJ members in the numerous police checkpoints that extend almost along all the main roads leading in the direction of Drenica. The emblem, writing SAJ, attached on their left shoulder identified them.
     The emblems were taken off, after the first Contact Group meeting, in March, which did not mean that these units withdrew from the terrain, particularly from the region of Drenica.
     The Specific Police Units (Posebne Jedinice Policije -PJP) were also present in the region of Drenica, ever since the first day.
     The attack on Prekaz, on 5 March, was most probably conducted from the Ammunition Factory in Skënderaj, which even today serves as a base to the Serb armed formations, where a large number of policemen are sheltered. According to the police inside the factory, the area around the Ammunition Factory that is surrounded by barbed wire, is mined, because of the large concentration of Serb armed forces inside as well as because of the fact that they are surrounded by KLA from three sides.
     Inside the grounds of the factory, there are many war vehicles, including police APCs and tanks. On the other hand, ever since the beginning of the conflict until today, it has been evident that the police assures the replacements for the checkpoints in Llaushë, Klinë e Epërme and Polac. At the same time, the units inside usually patrol along the Mitrovicë - Skënderaj road.
     All these units are at the same time helped by the motorized units of the "Yugoslav" Army (Vojska Jugoslavije – VJ), whose actions tend to take place away from the public’s sight.
     In the past two months, the armed Serb civilians have also become engaged in this dirty war in Kosova. They were armed by the Serb police, and thus are giving to this war an ethnic character – similar to the one in Bosnia. This phenomenon presently seems to be taking over the towns, where according to unconfirmed sources, the Serb civilians are being provided with weapons, for "self-defense".

Serb paramilitary formations

Albanian sources claim that the paramilitary formations are also present in Kosova. They are settled and conduct their operations near Klinë, Dollc, along the Mitrovicë - Pejë road. Different sources state that the Serb paramilitary formations have participated in the action that took place in May in Deçan. Those that are best known are recognized as the units under the command of a person called Frenki Simatrovic, well known for his actions in Bosnia. As for their number, there is still no precise figure. Still according to the Albanian sources, the paramilitary units of Zeljko Raznatovic - Arkan as well as the ill-famed units of the radical leader Vojislav Seselj, are also settled in Kosova. Because of the lack of concrete proof, their presence remains a speculation.
     Considering all the Serb fighting capacity in Kosova and at the same time the increase of the number of the KLA armed formations, many observers of the situation in Kosova have foreseen that from now on every action, initiated by any of the sides in the conflict, will be much larger than the previous.
     The Serb forces' offensive that started on Saturday morning, at an enormous speed is extended all over the KLA controlled areas, staring from Drenica to the bordering region with Albania.s
     In the last action, which is still going on, based on the statements of the foreign journalists and sources from the ground, the "Yugoslav" army is completely included, using all its capacities, including the largest caliber weaponry.
     According to the claims of the local correspondents, in Komoran, 110 VJ tanks alone were seen coming. They are now participating in the largest offensive, ever since the beginning of the war in Kosova, five months ago. The timing of the beginning of this offensive matches the five months of the massacres by the Serb police and paramilitary formations in Likoshan and Qirez, claiming the lives of 25 Albanians.

Iron siege of the war afflicted zones

The setting of the so-called "Yugoslav" army training camps has taken place in all the regions and strategic points outside the KLA controlled territory. The "Yugoslav" army along with its capacities is today settled in the following places:
     On the Prishtina - Prizren road, from the direction of Shtime, at the Duhël point. There, tank barrels and grenade launchers can be seen clearly. Until one month ago, the army was moving towards and settled temporarily in the forest of Carralevë. However, one month ago, the VJ formations were forced to withdraw and settle at Qafa e Duhlës. Presently, the KLA units control the road from Shtime to Qafa e Duhlës.
     In Golesh, including the military airport, which is under VJ observation, the police checkpoint in Komoran and Gryka e Llapushnikut.
     In Sllatinë, including the civilian airport. It is believed to be one of the largest military airports, having an underground tunnel. The entire plain of Kosova is controlled from this point.
     On the right side of Suharekë-Duhël road. The position can be used for any kind of actions or helping police - military actions against the municipality of Malishevë.
     Near Brezovicë, in Shtërpcë, from where the whole territory along the Prishtina - Ferizaj - Shkup road, as well as the bordering area with Macedonia, can be controlled.
     Throughout the whole bordering area, with Albania, starting from Prizren, along the region of Rekë e Keqe, the forests of Junik up to the part near Pejë.
     The military base in the village Kutlloc, near Mitrovicë, from where the terrain near the border with Serbia is controlled. Military forces are also concentrated in the village Oshlan, municipality of Vushtrri, a village that links this side with the region of Drenica.
     In Llaushë, municipality of Podujevë as well as in Prepellac, at the bordering point with Serbia. Three days ago, 35 tanks, 5 double barrel tanks, 20 military trucks with all the camping equipment, were deployed.
     53 artillery units and tanks are settled around Shtime.
     3 tanks and 25 APCs were deployed only during the last two days on the Klinë-Dollc (one of the blocked parts of the Prishtina- Pejë road) road, although it is not quite sure, whether they belonged to military or police forces. The impossibility to determine this derives from the fact that the police and military units in many parts of Kosova conduct their actions and operations jointly.
     In Landovicë, municipality of Prizren, where a large number of tanks and large caliber cannons are deployed, serving the Serb armed forces as one of the bases from which the fighting capacities were sent to Rahovec, during last week’s attack. It also serves as a base from where villages of Suharekë are shelled.
 

FIVE MONTHS OF WAR IN KOSOVA (analysis)

Milosevic's open war in Kosova - a slap in the face of the international community

Prishtina, 27 July (ARTA) 1700CET--

What last week started as an operation of the Serb forces to "free" Rahovec, the events that followed the actions of the Serb combined police\military forces in the past two days, eliminate any doubts and show clearly that this is a wide and well planned offensive of the Serb armed forces.
     With this, it seems that the evaluations of a Serb imposed counteroffensive, following the KLA fighting activities, all become one. An announced activity of the "new strategy" of KLA for the expansion of war that would include the urban centers, was very well used by the Serb diplomacy to justify the premeditated wide military offensive, that aims at cleansing the territory that links Kosova with the Dukagjin Plain in the line Shtime- Malishevë-Klinë. In fact, the Serb explanation that such a wide action aims at de-blocking the Pejë-Prishtina road, overrules the Serb justification that this is a counterattack, following the KLA attacks in the villages of Shtime and Komoran.
     It is now clear that the Serb fighting operation tactically includes three fighting zones: Gryka e Carralevës, Gryka e Llapushnikut and Kijevë. An operation of a such wide scale expansion, that involves more than 100 tanks and artillery units and about the same number of APCs, cannot be justified with an action to attempt to open the Pejë-Prishtina road. Actually, such a well military planned action, seems to aim at a larger scale enterprise, tending to cleanse the terrain linking Dukagjin and Drenica, in order to create and isolate the KLA oases in the regions of Deçan and Rekë e Keqe as well as Drenica. In other words, the purpose of this action is Malishevë proper, as one of the main points of the KLA.
     From what it can be seen, this is an identical plan to that applied in the Serb offensive in Deçan, which created a wide buffer zone in the bordering region around Deçan, resulting with a tragedy among the civilian population and a large exodus of over 13 thousand refugees into Albania and over 20 thousand IDPs in Montenegro. However, such a Serb action was prevented because of the harsh reaction of the international community, the threat of a NATO military intervention being mentioned very seriously. This was understood very seriously by Milosevic, who following the Russian diplomatic initiative, had meetings with Yeltsin in Moscow – committed himself to stop the clashes, start a dialogue and allow the return of the refugees in the war afflicted regions.
     Nevertheless, the "FRY" President did not fulfil any of these commitments. What's more, Milosevic took advantage the lack of readiness for the realization of the threats and of the concrete initiatives of the western diplomacy after the meeting in Moscow and particularly its confusion, which was largely added by the Albanian side as well, by not being ready to conduct a political unification and institutionalization -- as a political control over the armed forces. Milosevic, who understood that the international community wouldn’t intervene militarily, in such a chaotic situation, welcomed such a disorganization.
     The idea of the impossibility of a more concrete NATO intervention was greatly contributed by an artificial presentation of a military balance of the confronted forces in Kosova.
     Thus, during the effective NATO air maneuvers in Albania and FYROM, Milosevic very wisely bought time, maneuvering in a very narrow political space and, at the same time, preparing justifications for the military offensive that is nowadays taking place in Kosova, which can no longer be a secret even to the Contact Group.
     Such a Serb military\police action, where a higher coordination of the military forces of the Prishtina Corpus of the VJ reinforced by other VJ units from Serbia and the Serb special units made of professionals with fighting experience from Bosnia and Croatia, expands in a region of 5 municipalities of Kosova in an area of over 2 thousand square kilometers and a population that before the clashes had some 400 thousand inhabitants, the majority being Albanians. This is without including the Serb military troops concentrated in the region of Llap, in the north of Kosova or today's use of fighting forces near Istog or the concentration of the Serb military and paramilitary forces in the bordering region with Albania, which are presently engaged in an offensive in 1/5 of the overall territory of Kosova.
     Nevertheless, it needs to be mentioned that the present camping and expansion of the Serb military forces enables an immediate engagement in almost throughout the whole territory of Kosova.

The risk from a humanitarian catastrophe

On the other hand keeping in mind the current events in Rahovec and the Serb special police behavior towards the Albanian civilian population, the largest exodus so far is expected to take place as a result of this Serb military offensive. In fact, the civilian population, surrounded by large and superior forces of the Serb army and police will find it very difficult to find penetration channels, and this could most likely cause very easily a humanitarian catastrophe. According to the analysts' evaluations, the severe humanitarian situation and the present situation of the displaced persons has reached dimensions, proportionally similar to the ones in Bosnia.
     However, thanks to the traditional Albanian organization of the families, which is based in a patriarchal structure of Albanian rural population, a humanitarian catastrophe was avoided. But, this precisely does not allow a realistic evaluation of such an alarming situation, which allows the international humanitarian organizations and its diplomacy to behave with too much "commodity", for a situation that threatens the stability of the region. This justifies the cynical evaluation that the international community will not allow a second Bosnia, because it has already occurred in Kosova. Such a Serb offensive follows precisely after 5 months since the beginning of the war in Kosova, after the Serb special police action in Likoshan (Drenica), where dozens of Albanian civilians were executed.

The "red line" forgotten long ago

On the other hand, any prolongation of the Serb military offensive, realistically threatens the stability in the region and leads to the extension of the clashes. Even the eventual breakdown of KLA does not, by any means, lead to the stability of the situation. A broken organized guerilla could lead to the creation of desperate rebel groups that could very easily turn to terrorism.
     The Serb force concentration made of over 60 thousands police and soldiers, marks the engagement of the 1/3 of the overall police\military forces in an area of 10 thousand squared kilometers and as such, it proves the claims on the super engagement of the Serb fighting machinery in the troubled area of the Balkans, directly threatening the security of the peninsula.
     Nevertheless, the open participation of the "Yugoslav" army in the Kosova conflict, proves that we are dealing with a phase of an open escalation of war in the sensitive region in the Balkans. While the Serb army did not directly participate in the previous Serb fighting actions, standing at the border, its involvement was made clear following the action at the border, where several armed persons coming from Albania were killed and after which the "Yugoslav" army was allowed the creation of a five-kilometers wide border area.
     The reward to the commander of the Prishtina Corpus, general Nebojsa Pajkovic, given by Milosevic, seems to finally mark a new role of the army in the war in Kosova. It could mean green light for a large intervention of the "Yugoslav" army in the Kosova conflict. This marks Milosevic's open precedent, who with the direct use of his army, has challenged the international community's stands and the concrete stands of the Contact Group about Kosova, which were prohibiting the use of special forces and the sophisticated weaponry. In fact, the use of the "Yugoslav" army in the conflict is Milosevic's blow against the Albanian people, but at the same time, it is a slap on the face of the international community. After this, nothing else remains but to break the last strategic oath of these days made by the high officials claiming that "no solution can be found for Kosova in the battle field" and neither of the sides, the Serb or the Albanian one can win by war and that the Kosova solution should be a political one.
     Thus, the American Christmas threat known as "the red line for Kosova", changed into the vow for a political solution after the use of the military.
     Hence, the precedent has already been created and the red line has since long become history. The only unknowns, are the consequences.
 

FIVE MONTHS OF WAR IN KOSOVA (humanitarian situation)

Threat of a humanitarian catastrophe

Prishtina, 26 July (ARTA) 1600CET --

"I fear that we will face a humanitarian catastrophe. Every element of such a catastrophe exists in Malishevë", said Selatin Novosella, chairman of the Kosova Emergency Council (KRNE). He stated that all Council activists who visited Malishevë claimed that it could not be described in words. Novosella explains that other than the large number of IDPs in Malishevë, the situation is made even worse since the water supply system and sewerage do not work, there is no electricity, no food and no medicine. Novosella says that "the people also face the danger of epidemics spreading, which is much more dangerous than fighting, since the sewerage is not functional".
     The ICRC, evaluates that 20,000 people from Rahovec are currently seeking shelter in Malishevë. "These IDPs, some of which are seriously wounded, also suffer from trauma and shock", evaluated an ICRC team that visited Malishevë.
     On the other hand, an ICRC team that visited Rahovec, was "extremely concerned because many people, some of which were wounded, were trapped in Rahovec". "We also heard reports about arrests and kidnapping", said a communiqué issued by this organization.
     The medical personnel in the health house in Malishevë told Albanian daily "Koha Ditore" that they treat 250-300 patients per day. "We need a generator badly, to sterilize our medical instruments", said the pediatrician working there. "We have children in a state of psychosis. We have no beds to hospitalize those in need. The municipality is threatened by disease. The health-care situation is very bad. We have at least 20 cases of intoxication which need to be hospitalized immediately", he added.
     The secretary of the Red Cross of Kosova (KKK), Qerim Spahiu, also described the situation in Malishevë as alarming.
     The main problem for the Emergency Council is transporting aid to Malishevë and other endangered regions, such as Gjakovë and Pejë. "Believe me, sending even small contingents to Malishevë and other regions, has become a true challenge", said Novosella.
     He claims that the chairman and vice chairman of the Emergency Council branch (KNE) in Gjakovë, as well as the chairman of KNE in Rahovec were arrested.
     According to the data, which the KRNE has, there were around 150 thousand displaced people in Kosova until 18 July. 25,000 are seeking shelter in Prishtina, 12,000 in Pejë, 2,000 in Ferizaj, 10,000 in Deçan, 12,000 in Gjakovë, 7,000 in Skënderaj, 5,000 in Gllogoc, 4,500 in Malishevë (before the clashes in Rahovec - 25,000 now), 6,000 in Klinë, 3,500 in Rahovec (before the clashes), 2,700 in Vushtrri, 3,500 in Lipjan and 2,000 in Fushë Kosovë. The general number includes 16,000 Albanians who sought shelter in Montenegro and 18,000 refugees in Albania.
     Novosella explains the poor humanitarian situation saying that the "requests were so great, that the Council had no opportunity of creating reserves". "100 tons of flour do not represent a significant amount of help for us. Only last week, 68 tons were distributed to the IDPs in Prishtina", he says.
     "There are many requests and they are increasing. The Government has enough capital, but the problem is transferring it here", he adds.
     "Our possibilities are limited", says the KRNE chairman, asking for greater efforts from the people of Kosova.
     "About 200 thousand people abandoned their homes in Kosova. 20 thousand people have fled to Albania, 15 thousand to Montenegro. The number of Kosovars seeking refuge in Macedonia has not been confirmed so far", was the official evaluation of the Red Cross of Kosova, said Spahiu. However, he admitted that it is very difficult to estimate the number of displaced people.
     Spahiu said that the humanitarian situation in Kosova is alarming, especially in Malishevë, Gjakovë, Pejë and Deçan.
     The secretary of this organization says that the KKK was unable to help to the extent it was needed, evaluating the work of the organization as "modest", mostly because of the difficult working conditions.
     On the other hand, the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosova (UITUK), estimates the number of displaced people in Kosova at 194,764, cautioning that the number varies because of the movement of people.
     The UITUK claims that the humanitarian situation in the regions where fighting is taking place is dramatic -- since there is no medicine, food and hygienic items. "There is a danger of starvation, especially in the municipalities of Gjakovë, Pejë, Deçan, Klinë and the Drenica region, where the population exceeds 500 thousand", said UITUK representatives.