[kcc-news] Albanian Houses in Mihaliq and Druar Burned by Serbian Forces

[Mentor Cana]

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Kosova Information Center
KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1719-A
Prishtina, 13 March 1999

First Edition: 14:00 CET

Two Heavy Explosions in Podujeva, Scores of Casualties Reported
Early Afternoon Today

Five are feared Killed, and as many as thirty wounded, according to
preliminary reports reaching the KIC
PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - A heavy explosion occurred in downtown
Podujeva, near the town market, just past 13:00 CET today, to only
be followed by a second, perhaps even more powerful, explosion ten
minutes later in another part, the very center of the town, near
the post office in Podujeva, 30 km north of capital Prishtina.
Many casualties are feared to have resulted from the two incidents.
Initial, still unconfirmed, reports say five people have been
killed, and as many as thirty wounded.
Besnik Shabani (20) has been confirmed as killed, whereas Shukrije
Berisha (f, 30) and Jusuf Jusufi, resident of Dumnic& village, have
been reported seriously wounded.
Local LDK sources said the explosive device in the second
detonation had been planted in a garbage container near a kiosk on
the main avenue of the town of Podujeva, home to 20,000, 99 percent
of whom Albanians.
The wounded people have been taken to the Podujeva Health Center,
but also to Prishtina.
Today (Saturday) is a market-day in Podujeva. The town is packed
with people on Saturdays.
The marketplace, where the first explosion took place, has been
blocked by Serbian forces.
The OSCE KVM headquarters in Prishtina had by 14:00 CET confirmed
information on five wounded people in the first explosion in
Podujeva.

Serbian Forces Resume Shelling Three Vushtrri Villages

PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - Serbian forces have been shelling three
Vushtrri villages (Balinc, Liqej and Oshlan) since eight o'clock in
the morning today (Saturday), local sources said.
The sound of heavy shelling can be heard in the town of Vushtrri,
25 km northwest of Prishtina, and on the eastern side of the
municipality.
Serbs have been pounding Albanian villages from their bases in
Bukosh and Dolak. There has been no immediate word on casualties,
LDK sources said late in the morning today.
An extremely dangerous situation has been reported in other
villages at the foot of the ^i^avica massif, on the western side of
the Vushtrri municipality. The village of Brusnik was shelled last
night. The Serb armor targeted mostly two Albanian family
compounds, Muzaqi and Shaqiri.
Last night, Serbian forces continued shelling the villages of
Mihaliq, Druar and Bivolak, municipality of Vushtrri.
Haki Ademi (32), resident of Druar, was shot and wounded yesterday
in his native village. There has been no immediate word on possible
casualties in other villages.

Serbs Launch Fierce Attack against Seven Villages in Northwestern
Kosova

At 12:20 CET today, the shelling intensified, and ground-to-ground
rockets were reported being employed by Serbian forces
PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - Serbian military and paramilitary
police forces launched today (Saturday) a fierce attack against the
villages of Vaganic& and Verrnic&, municipality of Mitrovica, such
as Galic&, Oshlan, Pantin& and Lkej of Vushtrri, and Lubavec of
Skenderaj.
Heavy detonations have been heard in these villages since 7:30 CET
today, local LDK sources in Mitrovica said.
Smoke has been billowing from these attacked villages.
At 12:20 CET today, the shelling intensified, and ground-to-ground
rockets were reported being employed by Serbian forces.
In Vaganic& and Verrnic&, in the neighboring villages of Vushtrri,
as well as in Lubavec village of Skenderaj ('Skenderaj'), heavy and
small arms fire was heard also last night, from 18:00 CET on Friday
through 02:00 CET on Saturday. Two dozen Serb shells landed in the
village of Verrnic&, and 16 others in Lubavec last night. No
casualties were reported.
Serbian soldiers have been forcefully occupying or vandalizing
Albanian houses in Frash&r i Vog&l village of Mitrovica, local
sources said.
Meanwhile, the Serbian-run District Court in Mitrovica on Friday
sentenced an Albanian to 10 years in prison on trumped-up political
charges. Isa Qerkinaj, resident of Obri village of Gllogovc
municipality, was tried on 'association for illegal activities'
charges.

Albanian Houses in Mihaliq and Druar Burned by Serbian Forces

PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - Serbian reinforcements have been
reported moving in the direction of ^i^avica massif villages in
northwestern Kosova today.
Four Serb army lorries and four APCs left for Mihaliq today,
whereas an army tank for Bukosh village.
Several Albanian villages were reported being burned around noon in
the villages of Mihaliq and Druar, whereas Grac& was being shelled
by Serb forces in Be^uk.

Albanian Flee Homes in Vitia Village as Serb Troops and Armor Move
in

PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - A convoy of Serbian military involving
six tanks, twelve APCs and a lorryload was deployed today at 10:00
CET in the village of Deb&llde, municipality of Vitia, on the
border area with FYROM, local LDK sources said.
The Serbian army told the OSCE they would engage in training
exercises there, whereas local residents were told they had gone
there to "defend themselves against NATO" troops.
The village would be "turned into ashes" should a single bullet be
fired at the Serb forces, the Serb army warned. "You better stay
inside your cellars, in case stray shells do not hit your homes",
the Albanian residents were told, 500 of 720 of whom have fled
their homes now, local LDK sources said. Most of them have crossed
over to FYROM in search of safety.

Some 3,000 Albanians Driven from their Homes in Three Ka^anik
Villages

PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - Over 3,000 Albanians have been driven
from their homes in the villages of Bi^ec, Kova^ec and Dubrav&,
municipality of Ka^anik. Most of them have found refuge in the town
of Ka^anik, southeastern Kosova. Others have fled to Ferizaj. More
than 250 people have been crammed into the building of "Skenderbeu"
high school.
Stepped up movements of Serbian forces were reported in Hani i
&lezit ('General Jankovic') area yesterday. A number of people were
arrested. Sabri and Mejdi S. Kova^i, residents of Kova^ec village
were arrested while travelling with their car. Muharrem B. Dullovi,
resident of Bi^ec, was also reported arrested yesterday.

Albanian High School Student Goes Missing in Prishtina

PRISHTINA, March 13 (KIC) - Bedri Beqiri (17), resident of Bajgor&
e Shal&s region, now a refugee in Prishtina, a student with the
"Sami Frash&ri" high school in the capital, went missing yesterday
(Friday morning), the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of
Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said.
The family reported the case with the OSCE KVM and the Serbian
police, but no information on the fate of Bedri Beqiri could be
obtained.

Kosova Information Center


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