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Battle of Podujevo

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Battle of Podujevo
Part of the Kosovo War
Date23–27 December 1998
Location
Podujevo, Kosovo, Yugoslavia
Result
  • Yugoslav forces capture Podujevo
  • KLA forces keep Llapashtica under their control.[3][4]
Belligerents
 Yugoslavia[1] Kosovo Liberation Army
Commanders and leaders
Serbia and Montenegro Sreten Lukić Kadri Kastrati
Units involved
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit
Strength
Serbia and Montenegro 250 policemen
Serbia and Montenegro 13+ armored vehicles[5]
Serbia and Montenegro T-55 and M-84 tanks[citation needed]		 25 militants[5]
Casualties and losses
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1 killed
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 6 wounded[6]
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 2 APC's destroyed[7]		 10 killed[8]

The Battle of Podujevo (Albanian: Beteja e Tabeve te Llapashticës; Serbian: Битка код Подујева, Bitka kod Podujeva) was fought in the Kosovo War between the Yugoslav Special Anti-Terrorist Unit and KLA insurgents in the village of Llapashtica e Epërme in the municipality of Podujevo. These events started after the death of a policeman who was killed by KLA militants in the area.[9]

Battle

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The Battle occurred between 23–27 December 1998. Yugoslav forces had the goal of destroying the ZOLL (Zone of Operations “Llap”) headquarters of the KLA.[10] Before reaching the village of the ZOLL headquarters, the Yugoslav forces were met with strong resistance of the KLA at Tabe.[11] Fighting in Podujevo continued until December 27, when Yugoslav Army (VJ) forces secured the town following the withdrawal of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).[12] On the same day, Yugoslav police attempted to capture Llapashtica, but were ambushed by KLA fighters en route.[7] The KLA reportedly used 120-millimeter mortars, destroying two armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and wounding three officers.[7] Although Yugoslav police repelled the ambush, the KLA held their positions in the village.[7] Diplomats indicated that the KLA in Llapashtica was also open to negotiations.[7] According to international monitors who contributed to Operation Eagle Eye, this battle shattered a ceasefire called on by foreign forces. At the conclusion of the fighting, the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission monitored a convoy of Yugoslav Army vehicles.[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Army Backers Of Milosevic On Kosovo Are Promoted". The New York Times. 27 December 1998. Retrieved 28 November 2012.
  2. ^ a b "Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission Daily Report; 28 Dec". reliefweb. 28 December 1998. Retrieved 15 June 2022.
  3. ^ "25 vjet nga beteja e Llapashticës – Epoka e Re". Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  4. ^ "22 vjet nga beteja e Tabeve të Llapashticës, betejë në të cilën ranë heroikisht 10 dëshmorë të Llapit". llapi.info. 24 December 2020.
  5. ^ a b "Serbia: Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission Daily Report ; 22 Dec. | ReliefWeb". Reliefweb.int. 22 December 1998. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  6. ^ "Kosovo Reported Quiet After 4 Days of Clashes". The New York Times. 29 December 1998.
  7. ^ a b c d e O'Connor, Mike (28 December 1998). "Rebels Attack Serb Police Post in Kosovo". New York Times. While the police fought ethnic-Albanian rebels along the road, other police units tried to enter rebel-controlled territory nearby and were caught in ambushes that left two armored personnel carriers destroyed and three officers wounded, Government officials said. The officials said rebels used a 120-millimeter mortar in the ambushes. Diplomats said the rebels conceded that the report about the size of the mortar was true, which means the rebels have much larger weapons than had been known. Smaller mortars were used in the combat on the main road, though it was unclear which side was using them. Heavy machine-gun fire poured from police units that commandeered a motel near the road. The police appeared to push back the attackers after about a half-hour. Diplomats said the rebels were in a mood to negotiate but remained in their positions.
  8. ^ "22 vjet nga beteja e Tabeve të Llapashticës, betejë në të cilën ranë heroikisht 10 dëshmorë të Llapit". Llapi Info. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  9. ^ "Europe: Serb policeman killed in Kosovo". BBC News. 21 December 1998. Retrieved 30 January 2012.
  10. ^ Rama, Arton (24 December 2020). "22 vjet nga beteja e Tabeve të Llapashticës, betejë në të cilën ranë heroikisht 10 dëshmorë të Llapit". Llapi.info. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  11. ^ Rama, Arton (24 December 2020). "22 vjet nga beteja e Tabeve të Llapashticës, betejë në të cilën ranë heroikisht 10 dëshmorë të Llapit". Llapi.info. Retrieved 16 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission Daily Report; 28 Dec. - Serbia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 28 December 1998. Retrieved 28 September 2024. In an increasingly familiar on-again, off-again pattern, the cease-fire held today as the two sides returned to apparent compliance with the OSCE Verification Agreement. Podujevo was again the focus: KLA forces reportedly withdrew a significant distance from yesterday's contested positions, and police and VJ units displayed limited disengagement there. No attack or fighting by either party was reported in the area today. The Serbian side again voiced their commitment to abide by the Agreement.

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