Battle of Podujevo

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.^[7]

Battle of Podujevo
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 23–27 December 1998 Location Podujevo, Kosovo, Yugoslavia Result Yugoslav victory[1] Yugoslav forces capture Podujevo Llapashtica remained under KLA control
Belligerents
Yugoslavia[2]	Kosovo Liberation Army
Commanders and leaders
Sreten Lukić Vlastimir Đorđević Janko Lazarević	Kadri Kastrati
Units involved
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit 5th Novi Sad batalion	Shala Operational Zone
Strength
250 policemen 13+ armored vehicles[3] T-55 and M-84 tanks[citation needed]	25 militants[3]
Casualties and losses
1 killed 6 wounded[4] 2 APC's destroyed[5]	10 killed[6]

Battle

The Battle occurred between 23–27 December 1998. Yugoslav forces had the goal of destroying the ZOLL (Operative Zone of Llap) headquarters of the KLA.^[8] Before reaching the village of the ZOLL headquarters, the Yugoslav forces were met with strong resistance of the KLA at Tabe.^[9] On December 25th, KLA fighters ambushed a police car in the village of Zakut in the Podujevo municipality and in the city centre, explosives were hurled at the homes of local Serbian police officers.^[10] Fighting in Podujevo continued until December 27, when Yugoslav Army (VJ) forces secured the town following the withdrawal of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA).^[11] On the same day, Yugoslav police attempted to capture Llapashtica, but were ambushed by KLA fighters en route.^[5] The KLA reportedly used 120-millimeter mortars, destroying two armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and wounding three officers.^[5] Although Yugoslav police repelled the ambush, the KLA held their positions in the village.^[5] Diplomats indicated that the KLA in Llapashtica was also open to negotiations.^[5] 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.^[12]