JULY 26 - AUGUST 1, 1998 - WORDS FROM THE PEOPLE
SAINT MICHAEL
WAS SERB OFFENSIVE WITH THE CONSENT OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY?
Large Serb forces are concentrated everywhere. At some more than 50 per
cent of the region of Kosova, they are "active" by "promoting" force through
the operation 'Burning Land'. Hundreds of houses are in flame. Grain fields
are in flame too. Targets of the constant shelling are mostly innocent
citizens, mostly women and children. Pretence of fighting UCK and to
weaken its power and popularity among Albanians shows that the targets
are people, animals, houses and food.
The European "troika" came to Kosova to observe the situation, but this
delegation was prevented from going to Rahovec town on Wednesday,
where signs of massacres are still on the roads, and as witnesses say,
even corpses of people are still not collected. When the "troika" was
prevented from going to Rahovec, one of the Western diplomats claimed
"When they say that" commenting the police commander who ordered
simply and shortly "You may not go", "it means that some operation of
security forces is taking place". Perfect discovery, but was the Serb
offensive with the consent of the international community? "Bujku" daily
accuses Europe and America for condoning Serbian crimes "The crime
which is assuming dimensions of genocide and large scale ethnic
cleansing, is being committed with the aproval of the Europen Union and
the American Administration". Having "identical views" with Milosevic with
regard to massive scale ethnic cleansing in Kosova in favor to Serbs...the
Eu and U.S. will see to it to get the parties to the negotiating table
"Albanians as victims, Serbs as victors. "Bujku" concludes with the
message "Do not forget, this week the delegation of Europeans will come,
the delegation of Americans and the Serbs one - with army, police,
bringing death and destruction".
What one can see in the field is houses abandoned, houses in smoke,
houses burnt and levelled to the ground, properties and goods left behind,
ruined trailers, etc. Ethnic cleansing cannot be counted on thousands of
displaced people anymore. It is hundreds of thousands of people displaced
already, hiding somewhere in the mountains, in fear, hungry, thirsty, many
wounded from the 'random' shelling. So, what was the Serb purpose, was it
operating against UCK, or was it operating against citizens and their living?
Testimony:
"HOST FAMILY'S COW SAVED MY LIFE" says ALBESIAN KARPUZI
(1989) from the attacked village Sedllar, municipality of Lipjan, refuging now
in the village Klecke, where the shelling came from the village Zborc of the
municipality of Shtimje.
"WE WENT TO KLECKE VILLAGE BECAUSE WE RAN AWAY FROM
WAR. WE HAD TO LEAVE ON THE 26 JULY. I WAS WITH MY
MOTHER, MY FATHER AND MY TWO SMALLER BROTHER AND
SISTER. I WAS LOOKING AFTER THE COW IN THE GARDEN OF THE
HOST FAMILY NEXT DAY ON MONDAY, 27 JULY WHEN ALL OF A
SUDDEN ONE GRANADE FELL ON THE GARDEN. IT WAS THE COW
WHO GOT KILLED FROM THE GRANADE THAT SAVED MY LIFE. I AM
WOUNDED. AS YOU CAN SEE I LOST MY THUMB OF THE LEFT
HAND, MY HAND IS WOUNDED, MY LEFT PART OF THE THROAT HAS
SHRAPNEL, ALL MY LEFT PART OF THE BODY UNTIL THE LEG, AND
MY RIGHT PART OF THE CHEST IS ALSO WOUNDED AND THERE IS A
PIECE OF SHRAPNEL THERE. MY FINGERS OF MY RIGHT HAND ARE
HURT, I THINK THEY ARE BROKEN AND THEY MUST HAVE
SHRAPNEL IN, AS THEY ARE SWALLEN. I FORGOT TO TELL YOU,
LOOK, ALTHOUGH I HAVE THE BANDAGE NOW, MY OTHER FINGERS
OF THE LEFT HAND ARE CUT.
"I STARTED TO SCREAM WHEN I GOT WOUNDED...AND I DO NOT
KNOW WHAT HAPPENED WITH ME ANYMORE...I DON'T REMEMBER,
BUT I SAW UCK SOLDIERS TAKING CARE OF ME AND THE DOCTOR
WAS PUTTING BANDAGES ON ME AT ANOTHER VILLAGE
SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY FROM THE VILLAGE I WAS WOUNDED".
Albesian's mother, Florije (1967) continues:
"WE HAD TO FLEE FOR LIFE AS OUR VILLAGE WAS BEING
ATTACKED. ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON WE WENT TO KLICINE
VILLAGE, WHICH IS HIDDEN FROM THE WORLD, AND WE THOUGHT
NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO US. ON MONDAY, JUST FEW HOURS
AFTER WE ARRIVED TO THE REFUGING VILLAGE, I WAS STAYING IN
THE COURTYARD OF THE HOUSE WE WERE STAYING AT, WHEN
ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARED THE SHELLING. I STARTED TO SCREAM
WHERE MY CHILDREN WERE. I WAS TOLD THE TWO SMALLER KIDS
WERE STILL ON THE TRACTOR, BUT MY BESI (Albesian's nickname)
LOST HIS HAND. UCK PEOPLE CAME AND GAVE US HAND, THEY
TOOK MY BESI TO THE DOCTOR AND HE IS OPERATED
THERE...GOD HELP US, WE HAVE NO SAFE PLACE..."
Milosevic has said that the offensive operation of his army and police
forces aginst UCK is ending now and that they have had the victory. But,
should we trust the words hE said to the "Troika"? By all means no.
Fighting is continuing and as a consequence we have more ruined houses,
more burnt fields of grains and number of IDPs increases.
CHRONICLE OF THE WEEK
26 JULY, 1998
A strong offensive of the Serbian forces is being held against the villages of
Gryka e Llapushnikut. This offensive has started since Friday, 24 July.
Multi missile launchers are being used against the local population.
Casualties are not reported, but parts of the village Vukovc are burning as
well as many other properties in the village of Komoran. Shelling in Shtimje
villages continues also; Belince and Carraleve villages' houses are burnt
and destroyed.
During the large scale Serb offensive reports say that at least 5 Albanians
have been killed and 24 wounded in Central Kosova. According to the
CDHRF list of the killed and wounded persons SHPRESA BASHOTA (20F)
resident of the Cerovik village was KILLED IN HER SEVENTH MONTH OF
PREGNANCY whereas her husband ALI (20) WAS WOUNDED. Among
the wounded we have four children, only from Cabiq village: FORTESA
GASHI (8F), EMINE GASHI (8F) and PUHIJE GASHI (5F)and from Mlecan
village ATIFETE GASHI (9F). In Breg i Zi village (Crnobreg) of Lipjan three
other children were wounded from two shells lending in their village:
MUHAMET SHAQIRI (17M), HEKURAN SHAQIRI (6M) AND ARLINDE
ADEMI (13F); shells were alunched by Serb forces stationed in the Kodra
e Belincit of Shtimje.
Otherwise Serb offensive against Shtimje and Suhareka villages continues
since yesterday, punding with heavy artillery Albanian villages on both
sides of the road; Bllace and Duhle villages are destroyed by shelling.
Casualties are hard to be reported as the area is sieged. Zborc village has
become the positioned station for YU tanks and APCs.
Forces are striking the villages in Decan, in Peja and in Klina. Fearfighting
was reported two days before and still continues in Lugu i Baranit region,
the wide area stretching in the municipalities of Peja and Klina;
settlements and local resistant positions are being pounded with machine
guns and heavy artillery. Casualties are not reported so far, except the
damages.
Eye-witnesses say they saw 110 Yu tanks used to attack the Gjergjice,
Vrelle and Negroc. Tanks exclusively attack Negroc and Gjurgjice villages.
Well informed sources say that over 90 per cent of the Serb forces belong
to the Yugoslav army, which is using heavy artillery.
Albanian detainees are being tortured ruthlessly in Serb jails. In Gjilan,
Ferizaj and Vitia detainees are reported to have been subjected to brutal
ill-treatment and torture. Serb police has embarked a campaign on political
party and human rights activists by arresting them. Some 30 Albanians on
board of two buses with Gjakova licence plates were forced off the bus by
Serbs police and had severe ill-treatment at the checkpoint of Doganaj
village.
27 JULY, 1998
War situation is very grave. Political parties are calling for the U.S. and
NATO to help and stop the Serbian aggression. It is very interesting that as
soon as this week Serbs started with their biggest offensive against
Albanians and UCK, these parts of the world do not make any comment;
and even if they do, it has some mild messages that can vanish before
they reach the one they are directed to.
SHABAN GOLA and VEZIR AHMETI are reported to have been killed
yesterday in Reka e Keqe of Gjakove during the fight. Gjakova region is
repeatedly being shelled four months now.
Two villages of Suhareka, Bllace and Duhel continue to be shelled by Serb
forces; houses of the family compaounds BAJRAKTARI and SUKA in the
village of Bllace are burnt to ashes. The rope of the shelling continues to
Shtimje region, where villages of Zborc, Belince and Carraleve are the
target; there are some doubtds that HAKI ILAZI and XUNE KADRIU, two
elderly people are seriously injured as they were trapped in the burnt-out
houses; third victim is an elderly woman, guest from Zborc village.
Drenica region is under large scale attacks; villages of Llaushe, Kline,
Runik, Lecine, Padalishte, Citak and Suhogerlle are facing attacks long
time now, ever since March. So far, we have three reported victims, two
women (AZIZE HAJDINI- MALA mother of five children and the other's
name remains to be reoported) and one old man SALI DURAKU. Five
people have been abducted: BEQIR HAJRIZI (62) together with his son
AZEM HAJRIZI (35) and FIDAIM HAJRIZI (25), then SHAIP SELMANI (45)
and NAZIM AHMETI (25). Serb forces burnt all the unharvested wheat
fields. In Skenderaj, situation is tense as it is sealed off by heavy Serb
forces. Many reports from the area speak of atrocities. In Kerrnice village of
Drenica, Serb forces entered the deserted village and burnt the houses of
Dr. Rexhep Boja - Leader of the Muslims in Kosova, of Sadri, Hajriz,
Brahim, Bajram, Rushit, Rrahman, Imer, Cene Boja and of Isuf Berisha,
Bajram Oruci, Zeqir Berisha, Hamdi, Ali and Nezir Doci; these forces set
fire to the elementary village school too.
Fresh military troops arrived today in Kosova; eye-witnesses claim of
seeing 3 armored vehicles, 10 busloads of Serb soldiers and other vehicles
driving from Podujeva direction to Prishtina.
Due to the fierce fighting in Llapushnik information say that Serb forces
advance into Llapushnik Mountain pass; at least six Albanians are reported
to have been wounded, but other casualties are not reported. Four
Albanians killed before, were buried today in Malisheva cemetery. Attacks
are spread also in the villages of Lipjan bordering with Drenica. Sources
say that villages Sedllar and Baica (both had some 5,000 IDPs from other
attacked villages surrounding Llapushnik) came under heavy machine-gun
fire this morning. Population has been fleeing in panic; two other vilages
Vershec and Leletic of this municipality were shelled yesterday.
Heavy fighting is reported around Gjakova villages bordering with Albania.
Attacks are directed against the villages of Nec, Smolice, Berjahe, Stubell
and Junik. Hamlets of Nivokaz, Sheremet and Dobrosh came under
particularly heavy fire (Hamlets are traditional and historical for Albanians).
All villages are suffering immense damages.
Serb forces are shelling Decan villages of Voksh, Drenoc, Sllup, Junik,
Carrabreg, Prejlep and Strellc i Eperm. The shelling is directed against the
settlements.
SHPETIM RAMADANI (17) was reported wounded at Lloshkobare village of
Ferizaj; the boy was wounded while swimming in the lake, but his life is
not critical; other children swimming got scared.
FATIME BOSHNJAKU (1951) from Gjakove, humanitarian activist detained
in Lipjan prison has been subjected to tortures; her lawyer says she had
bruises on her hands and was not able to shake hands when visited today
at the prison. Over a dozen Albanians, ALI UKA, HALIM RRUSTEMI,
BESIM MYFTARI, SYLE REXHEPI, UKE HAXHIA, MYFTAR AVDULLAHU,
MUHAMET AVDULLAHU, ILJAZ HASANI, IBRAHIM LATIFI, NEZIR
SALIHU, ISUF SADRIU, HALIM SADRIU, AVDYL REXHEPI AND
SULEJMAN REXHEPI are arrested in Serb police checkpoint in Gjakova
while coming from their Babaj village; meanwhile 12 of them where
released but Avdyl Rexhepi.
The 54 Albanians arrested last week while coming from abroad will be
detained in Prokuplje (Serbia).
Humanitarian relief if being distributed to people in need creates hardships
to activists as they get arrested and the humanitarian relief supplies
seized.
28 JULY, 1998
Serb forces shelled many villages in the municipality of Malisheve, but
found Malisheve deserted. UCK cleaned the area and evacuated the whole
local population and the IDPs before these forces came. No resistance
was on the way, although Malisheve was the stronghlod of UCK. Villages
around Orllat, Llozice, Kijeve, Belince, Bubavec, Mlecan, Carralluke and
Terpeze were shelled aslo today. There are reports that nine tanks were
stationed on hill close to the village of Drenoc, and Serb forces are shelling
Lubizhde, Mirushe, Gurabardh, Turjake and Dragobil villages of Malisheve.
According to the Euronews reporters, Serb forces entered empty Malisheve
in 'victory' with 50 tanks.
The Serb army offensive was to break UCK moral and support. Many are
killed during the constant fighting in both sides. Most of the houses
wherever the fight was going on are destructed from the Serbian shelling.
Wide ranged attacks continue on the villages Bllace, Duhel and Reshtan of
Suhareke. Five houses are burning. ABAZ NDRECAJ (60) from Maciteve
village went to evacuate a relative in the village, but he is missing since
yesterday.
Fighting continues in Reke e Keqe of Gjakove, in the villages of Smolice,
Nec, Stubell, Berjahe and Nivokaz, and in all the way up to Junik.
Inhabitants of the villages are evacuated in safer areas. This area is facing
hunger beside the constant war.
Due to the cries for humanitarian aid, sources say that 20.000 IDPs
displaced from war affected areas that were concentrated in the villages of
Lipjan, North East, are forced to go further in the mountains of Berisha. In
Kline, villages of Dush, Gjurgjevik i Madh, Cabiq, Ujemire, Acareve,
Pogragje, Jashanice, Gllareve, Rixheve, Stapanice and Zabergje are
shelled today. Serb military planes area flying over the area.
Shelling and large diplacement of Albanian population is on the wake in
Ferizaj too. Following the Jezerc village which is under UCK control,
shelling spilled over Nerodime e Eperme and then in Pleshine. Serb forces
attacked Albanian houses instead, and they forced people to abandon their
homes in the midst of bullet bursts. Inhabitants of Manastirc village fled
fearing of a possible massacre.
Clashes that have been taking place these days in Suhareke, Malisheve
and Rahovec have caused a large movement of population. Inhabitants of
15 villages fleeing for life, together with those from 60.000 from Rahovec,
Malisheve and Suhareke have concentrated within 7 villages and forests of
Malisheve, on the mountain of Berisha; the exhausted and traumatized
population is abandoned to the fate, despite the large soldarity of the host
families shown to them. Villages of Kravasari, Pagarushe, Nishor, Kaster,
Semetisht, Studecan, Samadraxhe and Doberdolan has almost no family
without at least 30 IDPs at home.
Situation of IDPs is catastrophic. There is lack of food items, lack of water,
medicine, clothes, blankets; health care practically is impossible to have.
Koha Ditore comments on their situation that "So far, no humanitarian
associations, not to mention the international ones, have made any effort
to offer help to these people. What is worst, these people are expecting
the worst, fearing that this buffer zone could turn into a second Srebrenica.
People move in one circle, with no chances to move out, since the Serb
police and army positions block them".
..And a military convoy of 30 military vehicles of tanks, large caliber of
cannons, antiaircraft cannons, trucks, terrain vehicles filled with armed
soldiers departed from Mitrovice and headed most likely to Skenderaj.
RIZAH, SHABAN and DIANA SYLA from Prizren were arrested at the
police checkpoint, on the road that leads to Brezovice. Every town of
Kosove is surrounded by heavy police checkpoints.
Police provided today Serb civilians in Gjilan with weapons openly.
We learn today that the Swiss police blocked 8 million Swiss Francs of the
Government of Kosova in Zurich, Bern and Geneva under the pretext that
the money "was engaged in organizing finacial support to UCK"!? Persons
who are entitled to the bank are Agush Buja, Shaban Muja and Mehmet
Bislimi, they were arrested and their apartments were searched!
Meanwhile, police in Kosova raided the Emergency Council.
29 JULY, 1998
Ischinger's question "How many more Albanians must be killed for unity"
sounds sarcastic when pushing Albanians to create one political organ. It
sounds as if though the war situation is depending on the victim's step to
make peace, leaving the perpetrator safe and sound and without any blame
for the atrocities. Words as "we cannot tolerate the further development of
the crisis, we cannot tolerate other victims and suffering of IDPs" Albanians
say are just a push to Serbs to do more and make our life miserable.
Dialogue is impossible to go on, when the weapons are clinging and killing
especially civilians. LDK gave a statement today stating that "The
international community's indifference is shocking" calling the U.S. and
NATO to undertake concrete measures of intervention.
Fierce clashes are reported in Shkoze, Drenoc and Zatriq villages of
Malisheve and Rahovec. Although the Yugoslav army is using the heavy
artillery against Junik, it still remains under UCK control. Sporadic shooting
is reported from Hade and Janovode villages of Obiliq. In Gjurgjevik i Madh,
three Albanians, ALUSH BERISHA (42) from Gjurgjevik i Madh, XHEMAJL
DAKA (75) from Cerrovik village and BALE BALAJ (70) from Gllareve are
reported to have been killed. Reports say that Siceve, Ujemire, Shtorice,
Gjurgjevik i Madh, Doberdol, Gllareve, Cerrovik, Zabergje, Dush, Stapanice
are almost empty; all families have moved out from these villages. Tanks
are observing the surroundings of the Kosova B Power Plant. Fierce
clashes are reported in Reke e Keqe of Gjakove. UCK is resisting strongly
four months now in this region. There must be many killed and wounded on
both sides. Helicopter gunships which made low flights over Gjakova,
headed to Reke e Keqe. Mitrovice is sealed off by Serb forces. Witnesses
counted 15 tanks to have been brought from Serbia on a special transport
train through Podujeve.
Bujar Dugolli, President of the Students Union was arrested and held at the
police station for three hours.
CDHRF, Kosova Red Cross and the Health Committe of Kosova addressed
an appeal today to the humanitarian and international human rights
institutions to help in protection of thousands of people from violence,
terror, hunger and disease. Centre for Protection of Women and Children
alarms the situation of at least 100.000 IDPs in the mountains of Berisha
and surroundings, where not even elementary food can be found and many
children are wounded.
30 JULY, 1998
Although Milosevic said his military operations are ending, the weekends in
Kosova face the 'deja vu' large-scale Serb attacks. Military offensive is
continuing in border area villages in Decan and Gjakove. Serb forces have
been closing in on the huge village of Junik, seen as an UCK stronghold
where thousands of civilians are besieged inside the village. Helicopters
flew again very low over Gjakova. Some 2,000 civilians are in Bjeshket e
Nemuna mountains being targeted by the Serb artillery. Sporadic fighting is
reported in the villages of Strellc i Eperm, Carrabreg i Poshtem, Prejlep and
Rastavice, but heavy Serb troops - military, paramilitary and police - with
heavy artillery and infantry units have been engaged in a large-scale
offensive against the Reka e Keqe border villages of Gjakove, in Nec,
Morine, Smolice, Stubell, Berjahe and Nivokaz. Huge displacment of the
population in the region is reported. Conditions of life in this region are
miserable and the population is facing hunger.
Two explosions were heard in Dardania quarter of Prishtine. Otherwise
todays reports from Llapushnik in Prishtine are alarming as the death toll
after the heavy fighting seems to be big. Many houses are burnt in the area
by Serb forces. Many villages are damaged. On the other hand these
forces have pounded Rahovec villages and looted Albanian homes there.
Sources say in Rahovec Serb troops have continued looting and smashing
properties in abandoned Albanian houses in the town. Its infantry set
houses in fire in Suhareka, pounding indiscriminately the outlying hamlets.
Serb troops bombarded villages of Rahove, Mazhiq, Kutllofc, Rashan and
Tuneli i Pare of Mitrovice overnight and today. Casualties are not reported
yet.
The Toronto Convention is violated consequently by the Serb government.
Serb army is laying landmines now on Kosova Macedonia border zone,
after laying them on Kosova Albania one. Yugoslav army authorities have
warned residents of the Gllobocice village for caution in moving near the
border zone. THREE COWS HAVE ALREADY BEEN KILLED AND SOME
20 OTHERS WOUNDED BY LAND-MINES NEAR GLLOBOCICE.
Serb gangs are terrorizing Albanian citizens in Peja. The gang "Sanipuric"
has been involved in a campaign of brutalities, by plundering at gunpoint
and beating family members, as well as smashing household properties.
FAMILY ZEKAJ WAS ROBBED OFF AND HAD PROPERTY
DESTROYED ESTIMATED TO OVER 40.000 DM. On the other hand,
RAME GASHI (75) WAS FOUND IN THE FIELDS OF HIS VILLAGE OF
LUTOGLLAVE THIS MORNING, WITNESSES SAY HE WAS SLIT IN HIS
NECK.
Over 140 Albanians face Serb charges for support and affiliation with UCK.
RESHAT NURBOJA, MEMBER OF THE AID ORGANIZATION,
EMERGENCY COUNCIL OF KOSOVA IS ACCUSED FOR DELIVERING
MEDICATION TO UCK. METE ADEMAJ IS ACCUSED FOR HAVING
ALLEGEDLY DELIVERED 14 TONS OF PETROL TO THE UCK.
The European "Troika" watched as houses went up in smoke over Kosova.
31 JULY, 1998
As the fighting continues, number of internally displaced persons
increases. They are mostly women, children and elderly people in urgent
need for food, hygienic supplies and clothing. Nearly all of them are in poor
health conditions. Actvists call for urgent UNICEF vehicles to save lives of
children either wounded or sick. Pregnant women have no possibility to be
helped in delivering their children. One woman is reported to have died
while delivering her baby in the mountain. Two babies have already died.
These IDPs lack of drinking water too. Each minute calls report of
thousands of IDPs. 20,000 women and children under open sky; 7
thousand people without food, clothing and medicine; 100 thousand people
in the mountains of Berisha and the surroundings until the Kravasari
village...And Serb police has sealed off the areas and needs for basic
supplies...
Parcels of grains were set on fire in Malisheve area. Victims in the villages
of Drenoc and Bubavec still remain unburied.
Clashes continue in Skenderaj area. Fierce clashes are reported in Reka e
Keqe and Junik village, where the UCK stronghold is. Displacement of
population from this area in the less endangered villages and in Gjakove
proper is massive.
Large police forces have concentrated this week in every corner of the
towns of the Anamorave region, in Gjilan, Viti and Kamenice, in their
entrances and exits.
Shelling has started in one part of Shala e Bajgores, in the villages of
Melenice, Rahive, Mazhiq and Stanterg. A police convoy of 15 buses with
Kragujevac plates on them came from Serbia yesterday and got settled at
the military barrack in Mitrovice. Serbs in the village of Frasher continue
burning the few remaining Albanian houses.
Police arrested LDK activists SAHIT KRASNIQI, FAIK GRAINCA, MILAZIM
HALITI, BEKIM BERKOLLI AND FATMIR SYLEJMANI. They also arrested
ADEM SALIHAJ , the LDK chairman in Ferizaj on his way to Prishtina.
Attorney DESTAN RUKIQI, human rights activist is beaten brutally in the
district Prison. Rukiqi's attorney Bajram Kelmendi was not allowed to see
his client, so he stated "Beating the prisones is a systematic practice in
Kosova". From January until July, over 500 Albanians were sentenced,
were beaten and subjected totortures so they would admit that they are
UCK members. THE DEATH OF REXHEP BISLIMI, on July 21 in the
Prishtina Hospital, as a result of the tortures he was subjected to during
the interrogation, is used as an example in the report of the Humanitarian
Law Fund.
Funny and sarcastic, "Germany will not allow Kosovar Diaspora finance the
struggle for freedom"! says Klaus Kinkel, the Foreign Minister of Germany.
1 AUGUST, 1998
Serb offensive continues fighting in Reka e Keqe and in Junik. The fighting
is counted for the seventh day in the border zone villages of Reka e Keqe
and Junik. Although it is said that miltary and police war in Kosova is over,
reports say that resistance forces and UCK units have been fighting heavy
Serbian military, paramilitary and police troops. Casualties are hard to be
reported from Gjakove. Situation in the town is difficult in the midst of the
ongoing Serb offensive by the huge number of population, mostly women,
children and elderly, who are in the move, trying to make their way to safe
areas. Many of them are prevented from enetering the town from police
forces. An urgent international humanitarian intervention is needed to help
the displaced people, say the political structures of Gjakove.
Klina area is set on fire. Half of the farmsteads in the village of Kermice,
shelled two days ago are burning. Many Albanian houses were burnt in the
villages of Jashanice, in Gllareve, Rigjeve, Stapanice,