Informatoret e QIK-ut

Qendra për Informim e Kosovës
Kosova Information Center

Prishtina, 15 March 1999, 13:00 CET

KOSOVA DAILY REPORT # 1721-A

Contents

Kosova Conference Resumes in Paris, Albanians Reportedly Willing to Sign Deal

Serbian Military Launches Artillery Attack against Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Skenderaj Villages

Serbs Pound Podujeva Villages with Artillery Overnight

Police Kills Four Members of Albanian Family in Grejkoc Village of Suhareka

Bodies of Two Men Found in Zabllaq, Istog Area

Serbian Forces Resume Attacking Sferkë Village of Klina

Two Albanians Wounded by Serb Shells in Çupeva Village of Klina

	Kosova Conference Resumes in Paris, Albanians Reportedly Willing to Sign Deal PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - The international conference on Kosova resumed work today (Monday) in Paris, France, three weeks after the conclusion of the first round of negotiations at the Rambouillet chateau in February. The Kosova delegation had a plenary session today, in which the UÇK (Kosova Liberation Army) representatives made it clear they will say 'yes' to the Rambouillet accords. Today morning, Hashim Thaqi, a leading UÇK member, met with the chief international negotiator, U.S. ambassador Chris Hill, reportedly informing him of the acceptance to sign the agreement. The Kosova delegation will meet with the international mediators sometime in mid-afternoon today, after which a statement is expected confirming the readiness of our delegation to sign the Kosova deal negotiated at Rambouillet, namely the 23 February document.
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	Serbian Military Launches Artillery Attack against Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Skenderaj Villages PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - At 7:30 a.m. today (Monday), the Serbian military launched a fierce attack against a number of villages in northwestern Kosova which fall administratively within the municipalities of Mitrovica, Vushtrri and Skenderaj ('Srbica'). LDK sources in Mitrovica said the villages of Vaganicë and Verrnicë of Mitrovica municipality were being shelled, then the village of Lubavec (Skenderaj municipality), as well as the villages of Galicë, Lkej, Oshlan and Pantinë, Vushtrri municipality. Serbian forces have launched their attack from their positions in Frashër i Vogël and Pirç. The same villages were targeted by Serbian gunfire overnight, too. Speaking about today's attacks, local LDK sources in Vushtrri said Serbian forces were engaged in heavy shelling of Albanian villages from their bases at Dolak and Shtitaricë at 9:00 a.m. The school village in Mihaliq has been burned. A Serbian military convoy, involving 19 vehicles full of soldiers and police, headed towards Mihaliq today morning. Private-owned lorries were seen to have joined the Serb convoy, too. Albanian vendors will not work at the fruit market in Mitrovica today, but rather pay homage to the victims of the bombing blast of Saturday by laying flowers in the marketplace. Five persons were killed and over sixty wounded in the terrorist attack at the market in Mitrovica that day. Meanwhile, the Vushtrri municipal education authority ruled that schools in the area will be discontinued till 22 March amidst the continued Serbian offensive against the Albanian villages and insecurity for all, including pupils and students.
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	Serbs Pound Podujeva Villages with Artillery Overnight PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - All night long, Serbian military and police forces pounded with artillery and mortar fire a number of villages in the northern Podujeva municipality, local sources said. The shelling was very powerful, sources from the town said, failing to offer any details about the consequences. Early in the morning today, fresh Serbian troops and armor moved into Kosova from Serbia via the Nis-Podujeva-Prishtina highway, local sources said. A Serbian military convoy, consisting of over 100 combat vehicles, entered Kosova early in the morning today, the Prishtina-based Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms (CDHRF) said. Meanwhile, 5 Serb tanks and other army pieces were reported deployed in the village of Peran, where for more than two months now the Podujeva-Kërpimeh roadway has been blocked. Serb forces have established their presences in other locations along this roadway, too. Heavy Serbian forces have been roaming the streets of Podujeva, home to 20,000 inhabitants, of whom 99 percent Albanians. There has been a very limited movement of citizens, though.
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	Police Kills Four Members of Albanian Family in Grejkoc Village of Suhareka PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - Four members of an Albanian family were killed Sunday afternoon in the woods near their native Grejkoc village of Suhareka, local LDK sources said. Xhemajl H. Tafaj (42), Ismajl H. Tafaj (35), Rizah I. Tafaj (19) and Ibrahim Xh. Tafaj (16) were killed by the Serbian police in the woods between Grejkoc and Mushtisht villages at 15:00 CET. They had gone to fetch wood, a family member who survived said. The police killed them with no reason whatsoever, he added.
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	Bodies of Two Men Found in Zabllaq, Istog Area PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - The bodies of two still unidentified men, aged between 30 and 40 years of age, were found today morning at Zabllaq, municipality of Istog, local LDK sources said. Their faces were bloodstained, and their shirts half stripped, eye-witnesses said. A month ago, an Albanian, Haki Hoti, was found killed in the same location.
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	Serbian Forces Resume Attacking Sferkë Village of Klina PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - Serbian army and police troops resumed attacking Sferkë village of Klina with all kinds of weapons, local LDK sources in Malisheva reported. The villages of Sferkë and Dush have been burned down, and the residents who fled their homes are in a desperate humanitarian situation, sources said.
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	Two Albanians Wounded by Serb Shells in Çupeva Village of Klina PRISHTINA, March 15 (KIC) - Two Albanians, Naser H. Krasniqi (18) and Hysni Sh. Morina (43), were wounded yesterday in their native Çupevë village of Klina from Serb artillery shells, local LDK sources in Malisheva said. Other sources spoke of four Albanians killed during the fighting in Dush i Sferkës village yesterday. The UÇK said only three of its soldiers had been wounded in the fighting there. Meanwhile, local LDK sources in Klina said a police car took the bodies of four killed persons to the police station yesterday. They were taken out of the car, photographed, and then driven away to an unknown direction.
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