Koplik War
The Koplik War was a series of battles that occurred between Albania and the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1920 and 1921.
Background
After the retreat of Austria-Hungary on October 31, 1918, Shkodra was controlled by the military force of the victorious Allies of the First World War, commanded by the French general De Fortou. After the statement of the American president Woodrow Wilson for not leaving aside the issue of Albania's borders, the statement also stated that no territorial compensation would be accepted in Northern Albania in favor of the Yugoslavia. At the request of the government that emerged from the Lushnja Congress, on March 11, 1920, the French general left Shkodra under the management of the perlimitar and its chairman, Musa Juka.War
The conflict began due to tensions along the border demarcation line. According to Albanian sources, on July 26, 1920, armed groups from the Hoti and Gruda tribes, joined by volunteers, attacked Yugoslav border guards near Tuzi and crossed into Yugoslav-controlled territory.In response to these border raids, Yugoslav forces launched a counter-offensive. Three Yugoslav battalions entered the region, pushing back the tribal fighters. Yugoslav troops successfully occupied Kelmendi, Kastrati, Shkreli, and reached Koplik. The Albanian volunteers were forced to retreat, and the Yugoslav army secured the strategic area north of Shkodër.
In August, Albanian forces attempted a counter-attack to regain the lost territories. While they briefly managed to enter Kastrati on August 19–20, the Yugoslav Army responded the following day with a reinforced offensive using artillery and machine guns. The Yugoslav forces inflicted significant losses on the Albanian irregulars and recaptured Kastrati, Shkreli, Kelmendi, and Koplik.
By the beginning of September, Yugoslav forces held firm control over the occupied territories holding the "strategic line". A ceasefire agreement was signed on September 20, 1920, in Shkodra while Yugoslav troops were still in possession of the contested zone. The eventual withdrawal of Yugoslav troops in February 1921 was not a result of military defeat but came after the intervention of the League of Nations and the Great Powers, who threatened sanctions if the border line of 1913 was not respected.