Yugoslav September Offensive

The Yugoslav September offensive was offensive launched in September, 1998 by Yugoslav forces against the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during Kosovo war.

Yugoslav September offensive
Part of Kosovo war
Modern day Prizren, one of the places where September offensive began
Date September, 1998 Location Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia Result Yugoslav victory[1] United Nations Security Council Resolution 1199[2] Ceasefire KLA is almost completely destroyed[3][4][1] Territorial changes Yugoslav forces captured Prizren, Prilep, Lake Radonjić, Reznić, Drenas, several villages in Drenica and many other places[5][6][4] Jeshkovo, Rezala, Jezerc, Tusus and Arberi remain under KLA control.[7][8]
Belligerents
FR Yugoslavia	Kosovo Liberation Army
Commanders and leaders
Slobodan Milošević Božidar Delić Vlastimir Djordjevic Stojan Konjikovac Milorad Ulemek Nebojsa Pavkovic Frenki Simatović Saša Simeunović † Zeljko Jovičić †	Agim Ramadani Ramush Haradinaj Agim Çeku Fehmi Lladrovci † Ilaz Kodra[9] Agim Shala † Selajdin Berisha †
Units involved
Yugoslav Army 549th motorized brigade of Prizren Serbian police Special Operations Unit Special Anti-Terrorist Unit Russian volunteers Air Force of Serbia and Montenegro[10]	Kosovo Liberation Army 125th brigade 114th brigade
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Many killed	Very heavy[3]
300 POW[11]

Background

Main article: KLA Summer offensive (1998)

During the Kosovo war KLA launched an offensive against Yugoslav forces^[12] aiming to capture towns and expand their territory. During the offensive KLA captured around 40% of Kosovo and Metohija.^[13][14] To regain territories lost in the offensive, Yugoslav troops launched an offensive in mid July that lasted until the beginning of October.^[15][1] As result Yugoslav troops captured most of Kosovo,^[16] with some sources claiming they captured almost the whole of Kosovo.^[17] The Yugoslav September offensive was part of that counteroffensive and was officially launched on 1st September^[7]

Offensive

Yugoslav offensive in Prizren

Main article: Central Drenica offensive

On the 1st of September Yugoslav forces launched an offensive against KLA the positions in Prizren.^[7] The first place that was affected was Lez in where after days of fighting KLA was defeated and yugoslav forces captured the village. This battle led to the deaths of 15 KLA soldiers, while Yugoslav forces suffered 2 wounded.^[18] MUP also attacked Lybeçevë and Hoçë e Qytetit and several other villages and KLA positions that were captured later during fighting.^[7] On the 2nd September Yugoslav forces attacked Ješkovo but the KLA successfully defended it.^[7] In this battle Agim Shala, his father and Besim Shala were killed. Yugoslav troops still continued to shell Kushtrim and tried to capture Tuzus but failed, nevertheless they still managed to successfully capture many villages including Verin^[7] and on the 5th of September forced albanian villagers to surrender their weapons.^[19] The offensive also weakened the KLA's 125th Brigade. The KLA had 35 killed by the end of the offensive^[7][20]

Offensive in Lake Radonjić

Because of the massacres that happened in the Lake Radonjić, Yugoslav forces launched an offensive and captured Prilep, Reznić, Dasinovac, Gložana and Lake Radonjić.^[5] British officer John Crossland who was present during the offensive said he personally witnessed yugoslav soldiers looting albanian houses.^[21]

Situation in mid September and recapture of Likovac

By mid-September Yugoslav army succeeded in destroying towns and villages KLA was present forcing them to withdraw.^[15] However one of the important areas KLA still had presence remained unfinished, that being central Drenica.^[15] On 13th September Yugoslav army recaptured Likovac which served as KLA regional headquarters^[15]

Central Drenica offensive

On 22th September Yugoslav forces launched offensive in central Drenica. One of the places Yugoslav army attacked was Glanasela or Gladno Selo which was captured after several hours of fighting.^[22] KLA withdrew shorty after Fehmi Lladrovci and his wife were killed^[22] Serbian police and army attacked from the direction of Klina, southwest of Glogovac, as well from the Cicavica mountains and effectively surrounded KLA forces in Obrinje region.^[15] Acroding KLA commander (who was also the former Yugoslav army officer) Naim Maloku during interview with New York Times said that Yugoslav army faced resistance from KLA in Likovac-Obrinje area saying that 47 Serbian soldiers and police officers were killed.^[15][23] After capturing Likovac the yugoslav forces moved to Obrinje. Acroding to BBC on 24th September Yugoslav army captured at least 6 villages in central Drenica.^[24] At the beginning of the offensive yugoslav forces started shelling the Dlilaj compound from direction of Likovac and on 26th September it was shelled with various types of artillery and mortars.^[15] As result most of inhabitants fled to escape the shelling. For the next several days, Obrinje was under effective Yugoslav control and many abuses were carried out against Albanian population.^[15] JSO was also reported being present during offensive, they were commanded by Franko Simatović often appearing in other military police units carrying large knives.^[15] There were reports by local population seeing them near Obrinje. The JSO had reputation of being ruthless, serbian police officers who were with them for 6 months in Dečani in interview with Human Rights Watch said: "Frenki's man kill everything. Belive me you don't want to see them".^[15] On 25th September 5 serbian police officers were killed by detonation placed by KLA.^[25] The KLA sometimes attacked serbian police and then retreated toward villages.^[26] On 26th September Serbian special force killed 21 civlians as retaliation in Gornje Obrinje. On 27th September, HMW researchers and journalists arrived and documented the massacre that happened in village, garnering attention from Western media^[27]

Aftermath

On 28th, September Serbia's Prime Minister, Mirko Marjanović gave a victory speech saying that "terrorist gangs" (KLA) have been destroyed showing how Serbia is again capable resolving their problems alone.^[1] One of the municipalities that was captured during the offensive was Prizren. Yugoslav army and police withdrew from Ostrozub, Klečka, Samodraza and other places due to international pressure and ceasfire but they still remained under Yugoslav control.^[28] Ramush Haradinaj who was one of the leading KLA commanders during September offensive admitted how September offensive causes heavy losses for KLA and called Holbrooke agreement "life saving for KLA".^[3] Agim Çeku (who was KLA staff during the war) said "The cease-fire was very useful for us".^[3]

See also

• Operation Eagle Eye (1999)
• Gornje Obrinje massacre