10 July 1998–15 September 1998
The “Battles of Mazhik” took place, the first direct confrontation of the Kosovo Liberation Army with the Serbian army and the longest war of the Kosovo Liberation Army in 1998. The battle began on July 10, with the unexpected meeting of the observers of the Serbian army with some soldiers of the Kosovo Liberation Army of the Operational Area of Shala. On this occasion, some of the Serbian observers were injured. The next day, July 11, Serbian forces received reinforcements. From that day, the fighting continued without interruption, until September 15, 1998. The unit was commanded by Ajet Bajrami, but other units of the “Mehë Uka” brigade were also engaged . The fighting and shelling were concentrated from Kutlloci–Shkoza e Madhe (Mazhiq) to Trepçali, while the shelling from minesweepers and cannons up to 155 mm reached the middle of Bajgora. During the fighting, almost all the inhabitants of the villages of Mazhiq, Trepçali, Tërstenë, Kutlloc, Stantërg and a part of the village of Bare were displaced. The fiercest war and with the greatest losses took place on September 15. Serbia had engaged the army, police, paramilitaries and mercenaries in this battle, as well as an arsenal of 375 armored and logistical vehicles. There were many casualties from the ranks of the Kosovo Liberation Army, while Serbian forces then burned and destroyed 789 houses, all village schools, killed livestock, burned animal feed and all food stocks. (In the photo: View from Mazhik village.)
Text: The encyclopedic dictionary of Kosovo – Vol. I , Academy of Sciences and Arts of Kosovo, Prishtina, 2018, page 183.
Photo: © https://www.facebook.com/272849082831220/posts/5341395475976530/
Graphic processing: AHCF
