Timeline of the insurgency in the Preševo Valley

Timeline of the insurgency in the Preševo Valley.

Abbreviations:

Combatants

• UÇPMB-Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac.
• VJ-Yugoslav Army
• NATO-North Atlantic treaty organization
• KFOR-Kosovo Force (NATO)

Insurgency

1999

• June: Due to the FRY's inability to use any heavy weapons against the UÇPMB, the group expanded and occupied all villages related to Sectors B and C east. ^[1]
• 21 November: 2 Serbian police officers are killed by a land mine placed by UÇPMB. ^[2]
• 21 November: Attack at Prepolac. ANA victory. 3 officers killed after an attack on a police checkpoint.

2000

• 16 January: Pasjane Killings. 3 Serbian civilians killed by UÇPMB. ^[3]
• 4 March: Battle of Dobrosin. UÇPMB victory. UÇPMB capture Dobrosin.
• July – 27 November: Clashes around Bujanovac. UÇPMB victory. UÇPMB captures all villages near Bujanovac besides Lučane. KFOR blocks the roads to Dobrosin stopping further conflicts in the area.
• 21–27 November: Attacks near Dobrosin. UÇPMB victory. Serbian forces withdraw from the Ground Safety Zone. 7 Serbian troops killed.
• 21 November: First Battle of Lučane  [ sq ]. UÇPMB victory. 7 Yugoslav troops killed and 5 injured. UÇPMB captures Lučane. ^{[4] [5]}
• November: 4 Serbian soldiers killed and many more injured during fighting with UÇPMB. ^[6]
• 25 December: Skirmish on Saint Ilija Mountain. MUP victory. MUP capture UÇPMB stronghold in Saint Ilija Mountain.
• 30–31 December: 6 Serbian civilians are kidnapped on the Gjilan-Preševo road. Later released. ^[7]

2001

• 24–28 January Battle of Šušaja. UÇPMB victory. UÇPMB captures Šušaja.
• 14 March: Start of Operation Return (2001).
• 13–14 May: Battle of Oraovica. Serbian victory. Serbian troops recapture Oraovica.
• 24 May: UÇPMB commander Ridvan Qazimi killed in a clash against Serbian forces near the Guri Gat mountain above Bujanovac. ^[8]
• 1 June: End of Operation Return (2001). Serbian victory. Končulj agreement. Serbian forces capture the GSZ and UÇPMB is disbanded.

Aftermath

2001

• August 3rd: Albanian gunman kills 2 Serbian police officers and injures 2 others.The gunman was never caught, but the Albanian National Army claimed responsibility over the incident. ^[9]

References

1. Reuveny, R.; Thompson, W.R. (2010). Coping with Terrorism: Origins, Escalation, Counterstrategies, and Responses. State University of New York Press. p. 185. ISBN   9781438433134 . Retrieved 2024-10-16.
2. "Uhapšeni Albanci otimali i kasapili Srbe". Novosti.rs. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
3. "Ubijena tri clana porodice Nojic iz Pasjana". B92. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
4. Yugoslav Survey. Indiana University: Jugoslavija Publishing House. 2000.
5. Mukarji, Apratim (2001). Assertive democracy : transition in Yugoslavia : selected documents. Apratim Mukarji, K. G. Tyagi, Indian Council of Social Science Research. New Delhi: Indian Council of Social Science Research and Manak Publications. p. 442. ISBN   81-7827-024-2. OCLC   47667218.
6. "BBC News | EUROPE | Ceasefire agreed in southern Serbia". news.bbc.co.uk. 25 November 2000. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
7. "Danas, Sheriffs from the Presevo Valley (1/13/01), Poisoned "Holy Land" (1/13/01) and Phantom Albanians in the leader's calculations (10/7/00)". ex-yupress.com. Archived from the original on 2005-09-05. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
8. "Albanci Preševa i Bujanovca slave komandanta Lešija". Blic. 22 May 2013. Retrieved 2024-10-16.
9. Morton, J.; Forage, P.; Bianchini, S.; Nation, R. (16 January 2004). Reflections on the Balkan Wars: Ten Years After the Break-Up of Yugoslavia. Springer. p. 58. ISBN   978-1-4039-8020-5.