[kcc-news] Kosova: Studencan and Reshtan attacked at noon by the Serb forces

[Mentor Cana]

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20 February 1999
KOSOVA (Rambouillet - day fourteen)
Waiting for news on the agreement
Beqë Cufaj & Augustin Palokaj

Rambouillet, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET --

Until 1200CET

Rambouillet was surrounded by large police forces today. All this seemed
logical to many since the city's prefect banned all previously announced
demonstrations of Serbs, Albanians and Kurds. Large satellite dishes,
dozens of cameramen and photographers, as well as numerous journalists
were moving up and down the streets of Rambouillet to find out more
about what is happening inside the Chateau. Who is meeting whom; will
the agreement be signed; which of the Contact Group ministers will
travel to Belgrade or Brussels, and so forth. There was a fog of
uncertainty in Rambouillet, as to whether the project-agreement
presented by the Contact Group will be signed or not. The negotiating
parties were given the Contact Group project-agreement, earlier, as
global media was concentrated on whether it would be accepted.

Until 1600CET

The press conference is off the agenda. It was postponed for an
indefinite time-period. The State Department spokesman told reporters
gathered by the entrance of the Chateau, that negotiations were still
under way. Large worldly agency reporters notified that Russians called
for an urgent assembly of the UN Security Council, saying it should
decide on sending international troops to Kosova.
"We are working with both sides, we have formed working groups, small,
medium, and large. They are working with and without food, with pencils
and papers and we are doing our best to reach the goal", said James
Rubin.
"We know what time it is, but the conference is still going on", a
diplomat told reporters.
There are speculations that "both sides agreed with the deployment of
NATO troops in Kosova, that Russia asked the international community 'to
restrain', that the French Foreign Minister, Vedrine headed to Belgrade
and that the Serb side asked for another 24 hours for the conference".
"Koha Ditore" sources said that NATO Permanent Council met at its
premises at 1430CET and "contemplated options for an adequate reply,
based on the results from Rambouillet".
There is still no confirmed information. Head of the Kosova delegation,
Hashim Thaçi, however, made a brief statement in front of the Chateau.
Thaçi is quoted to have said that the "Albanian side is ready to accept
a peaceful solution, but the Serb side is not willing to do the same".
There are also claims that the leader of the Kosova delegation said
that, members of the "Yugoslav"-Serb delegation threatened to kill him.
"Such a behavior does not suit this conference, and nobody can force us
to sign, using such threats", Hashim Thaçi said.

KOSOVA (Serb offensive - Podujevë)
Strong clashes on Saturday morning

Podujevë, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET --
Fighting broke out in the villages of Peran and Tabet e Llapashticës at
around 0600CET on Saturday, and lasted about three hours. The fighting
took place after the shooting and detonations, which were witnessed the
previous night, in Podujevë, Lupç i Poshtëm, Lluzhan and Godishnjak. The
clashes on Saturday were estimated the fiercest in the last couple of
days.
Serb forces aimed their weaponry mainly against KLA positions in the
villages of Llapashticë e Epërme, Llapashticë e Poshtme, Katunishtë,
Obrançë and Peran.
KLA units replied to the attack and according to sources on the field,
there were no changes in fighting positions.
New Serb forces continue to arrive in from Serbia. A Serb military
convoy, consisting of some dozen jeeps, trucks, carriers and terrain
vehicles, was said to have arrived from Serbia at around 0800CET,
heading in the direction of Lluzhan. Police reinforcements, on the other
hand, have added up to the Serb forces stationed near the local
"Besiana" motel and place locals refer to as "Qershitë e Llapashticës".
There are claims that the situation is very tense in the town of
Podujevë as well. Although today was market day in Podujevë, local
sources assert that the people closed themselves in, thus very
restricted movements could be noticed.
OSCE verifiers continue to keep watch over developments in Peran, as the
Mission's patrol was also noticed in Merdar, at the Kosova-Serbian
border, as well as at the Merdar-Podujevë-Lluzhan road axis.

KOSOVA (Serb offensive - Suharekë)
Studençan and Reshtan attacked at noon

Suharekë, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET--
Serb military\police forces undertook a larger-scale attack against the
village of Sllapuzhan, from their positions in "Guri i Ujkut" at 0500CET
on Saturday, local sources in Suharekë say. There are claims that
shooting was also heard in the village of Reshtan.
The residents' movements in the Suharekë proper were restricted during
morning hours, as the only vehicles circulating were those of the OSCE.
At around noon, the Serb forces stationed in the vineyard, between the
villages of Studençan, and Reshtan, launched another attack against
these villages, using heavy artillery.
"KD" sources claim that the KLA is doing its best to resist the attacks.
The people of Studençan abandoned the village entirely, fleeing in the
direction of less endangered regions. There are no reports on eventual
causalities.
Clashes continued throughout the day, as there are reports that the
intensity of fighting began to drop at some point.
OSCE verifiers were following the situation from up-close.
The bodies of two Serbs, brothers Radovan and Zoran Mihajlovic, who were
apparently shot dead, were found this morning, in the Suharekë municipal
village of Mushtishtë.

KOSOVA (reinforcements - Gjakovë)
Çabrat - Serb stationing point

Gjakovë, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET--
Albanian sources of information and witnesses report on added movements
of Serb police\military forces. Serb forces, in all their stationing
points, including bordering points along the border with Albania, were
reinforced with heavy artillery, including anti-air artillery and
missiles.
Serb forces have established a new underground military base, of four
floors, in the Çabrat hill, where they hid missiles rocket and anti-air
systems. A large number of Serb forces, were also witnessed going in the
direction of this hill, and stationing there, during the night of Friday
and early Saturday hours. These forces were composed of tanks, trucks,
armored vehicles, men, as well as fighting technique.
Reinforcements were also seen coming in the town of Gjakovë.

KOSOVA (violence escalation - Rahovec)
Serb police station shelled

Rahovec, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET --
A loud explosion was heard in the southeastern part of Rahovec at around
0530CET, on Saturday. Unidentified persons shelled the Serb police
station, from a hilltop close to town called Mella, LDK and CDHRF
sources from Rahovec notify.
According to the same sources, the police station's roof was hit in the
shelling. There are no reports on victims or eventual material damages.
In addition, large Serb police forces surrounded the police building,
the houses around it and the Mella hill, near the cemetery, from where
they suspect the shelling was carried out.
The same morning, unknown persons broke the windows of the kiosk
"Rilindja", a grocery store, and of another Albanian owned store.
On the other hand, long intervals of shooting were heard, on Friday
evening from 1930CET, until around 2300CET, as added movements of Serb
police were evidenced in the town proper.

KOSOVA (situation deteriorates - Lipjan)
Weapons distributed to Serb civilians

Lipjan, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET --
The weapon distribution to Serb civilians continued in the town of
Lipjan on Saturday. Automatic guns were handed to the Serbs that did not
receive any weapons during the last mobilizing campaign.
As a result of the present confusing situation and the requests of the
Serb civilians, the Serb local police doubled the weapon potential,
locals said.
The situation has deteriorated even more following the complete
mobilization of the local Serbs, "KD" sources confirm.
Albanian residents are doing their best to reduce their movements.

KOSOVA (tension mounts - Mitrovicë)
Maltreatment in town

Mitrovicë, 20 February (ARTA) 2130CET--
An extremely tense situation prevailed in the town of Mitrovicë and its
outskirts, on Saturday. Groups of policemen were posted at the
entrance\exit points of town. They stopped, evidenced, beat, and
arrested Albanians, local sources informed.
The police arrested Ali Vallçi (50) and Selim Vllaçi (38), from the
village of Vaganicë, near the bust station.
On the other hand, "VJ" carriers departed from the military barracks in
the villages Frashër i Madh and Frashër i Vogël and went in the
direction of the factory block of the "Trepça" enterprise in Mitrovicë.
According to witnesses, they were transporting weapons from the military
barracks and hiding them in the block. Meanwhile, new Serb forces, in
fighting machinery and men, have reportedly arrived late Friday,
settling in the region's military barracks.


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