Central Drenica offensive


The Central Drenica offensive was an offensive undertaken by the Yugoslav army against the Kosovo Liberation Army in the villages of Likovac, Gornje Obrinje, Glanasela and other villages in the central area of the Drenica region. The offensive lasted between 22 and 26 September 1998.

Background

During the Yugoslav September Offensive, Yugoslav forces succeeded in destroying the strongholds of the KLA in several towns or villages. The offensive was labeled as a success however the offensive still remained unfinished in one region; Central Drenica. By 13 September the Yugoslav forces had captured the village of Likovac and began preparations for a large-scale offensive in the region. On 19 September, the KLA attacked a police station in Drenica that left at least seven Serb policemen dead and led to an offensive in the Drenica region that was launched on 21 September.

Offensive

On 21 September Yugoslav forces began reorganizing their troops for an offensive in Central Drenica as well as backing them up with tanks and armored vehicles. Upon seeing this, the KLA divided their forces in the region into three positions. The second position located in the village of Glanasela commanded by general Fehmi Lladrovci was the first to be attacked by the Yugoslav forces on 22 September with the assault on the village lasting for eight hours. During the fighting the Yugoslav troops attempted to reorganize on the nearby road, leading to the KLA firing at their tanks with rocket launchers, destroying three tanks. The Yugoslav forces quickly began attacking the KLA from behind, utilizing armored vehicles to fire at the KLA, killing general Fehmi Lladrovci. Upon seeing this the remaining KLA soldiers fled, besides Fehmi Lladrovci's wife, Xhefë Lladrovci who stayed in Glanasela, resisting the Yugoslav troops being killed. After the fall of the second defensive position and the death of Fehmi Lladrovci the KLA forces in the area came under the command of Mujë Krasniqi and Sylejman Selimi.
The KLA forces continued resisting the Yugoslav troops inflicting many casualties by using hit-and-run tactics, attacking Yugoslav forces before retreating to the nearby villages. During the fighting, on 25 September an anti-tank mine placed by the KLA was detonated on the Likovac-Gornje Obrinje road by a Yugoslav police armored vehicle resulting in the death of five officers and the destruction of the armored vehicle. The fighting lasted up until 26 September.

Gornje Obrinje massacre

Due to the mine attack on the Likovac-Gornje Obrinje road and not being able to penetrate the KLA positions, the Yugoslav forces killed 21 civilians of the Deliaj family from Donje Obrinje on 26 September in a nearby forest. Among the 21 killed, 9 were women and 5 were children. The same day the Yugoslav police tortured another 14 Albanian civilians and eventually executed 13 of them. The next day on the 27th HRW journalists arrived to the area and documented the massacre, leading to the event garnering Western attention.

Casualties

KLA casualties

During the offensive the KLA 5 casualties. The deaths on the KLA side were Fehmi Lladrovci, Xhevë Lladrovci, Shefqet Zeka, Fatime Hetemi and Asllan Fazliu. Some time after the fighting on 22 September, a group of seven militants were able to reach Glanasela and retrieve the bodies of the fallen soldiers.

Yugoslav casualties

According to author Dag Henriksen, the Yugoslav forces suffered 14 deaths during the offensive, while PBS, despite not giving an exact number, placed the casualties on the Yugoslav side at "more than a dozen". During the mine attack on 25 September an armored vehicle was also destroyed. According to "radio kosova e lire" the KLA were also able to destroy three Yugoslav tanks.

Civilian casualties

According to the Human Rights Watch 35 civilians were killed including women and children in Gornje Obrinje. 21 of the victims were members of the Deliaj family including a 5-month old baby.

Aftermath

On 15 October the NATO Kosovo Verification Mission Ceasefire agreement was signed, with the deadline for withdrawal being extended to 27 October. Due to clashes between Yugoslav troops and KLA militants, several difficulties emerged while implementing the agreement. The Yugoslav withdrawal commenced around 25 October 1998, and Operation Eagle Eye began on 30 October.