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Dečani operation
Part of the Kosovo War
Date1–3 June 1998
Location
Dečani Municipality, FR Yugoslavia
Result Yugoslav victory[1][2]
Territorial
changes		 Clearing of most of southwestern Kosovo from KLA units[2]
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA)  Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Strength
At least 2,000–3,000 Unknown
Casualties and losses
9 KLA killed[3] Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 1 policeman killed
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 5 wounded[4]
11 civilians killed, 18 missing[3]
65,000 Albanians temporarily displaced[2][5][6]

The Dečani operation, known in Serbian as the Unblocking of Dečani (Serbian: Деблокада Дечана, romanized: Deblokada Dečana, literally Deblockade of Dečani), took place in mid-1998 during the escalating Kosovo War. At that time, a portion of the Serbian population in Dečani had become completely encircled by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). In Belgrade, it became clear that broader military engagement, including the deployment of special police units and the Yugoslav Army (VJ), would be unavoidable. In June 1998, the Yugoslav Army was mobilized to break the KLA siege and relieve the besieged Serb community in Dečani. Following this operation, the use of military and police force against the KLA intensified and continued through September 1998.[1]

Background

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Strategic importance

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During the Kosovo War, Dečani was a key stronghold of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The group frequently smuggled weapons from Albania across the nearby border, making Dečani a strategic hub for their operations.[2][unreliable source][5] As a result, the region witnessed intense clashes between the KLA and Yugoslav army and police forces.[7] In response to the escalating conflict, Yugoslavia deployed around 40,000 troops to Kosovo.[8] As of July 1998, the KLA was estimated to have between 20,000 and 25,000[2] members and had gained control over approximately 40% of the territory,[9][10][11] primarily consisting of villages and small towns in Kosovo and Metohija, while larger settlements with significant police presence remained blockaded.[1] During the trial of Ramush Haradinaj at The Hague, retired British colonel John Crosland testified on April 19, 2007. From 1996 to 1999, Crosland served as the British military attaché in the FR Yugoslavia.[12][13] In his testimony, he acknowledged the strategic importance of the Peć–Dečani–Đakovica road for the Yugoslav Army and police (MUP), describing it as a crucial corridor they needed to maintain control over.[14] He noted that, starting in early 1998 and continuing into 1999, the road effectively functioned as "a second frontier."[14] Already by 29 March, he also noted the first obvious indications of a build up of Serbian forces in the Dečani area.[15] According to Serbian historian Aleksandar Logos [sr], the operation was carried out to defend the Serbian community of Dečani from KLA attacks.[1]

Prelude

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In late April and early May 1998, the KLA seized control of villages northeast of the Dečani–Đakovica road, establishing its headquarters in Glođane.[11] Serb residents were expelled from these areas and fled to the town of Dečani, leading to a sharp rise in inter-ethnic tensions. The KLA appeared to be attempting to establish a corridor between Albania and the Drenica region.[11] The town of Dečani was completely surrounded by KLA forces for several months, cut off from the areas controlled by the security forces of the Republic of Serbia.[1] The town, crowded with Serbian refugees, lacked electricity and telephone connections.[2] In the spring of 1998, the KLA conducted several military operations around Dečani, further escalating the security situation. The period from 19 April to 22 was especially critical, marked by intense clashes between the police and the KLA in the village of Babaloć [sr; sq].[16]

The situation deteriorated significantly towards the end of May 1998. On 25 May, 11 KLA militants were killed in Ljubenić [sr; sq], Dečani and Peć.[17] On 26 May, police officers Rade Popadić and Nikola Jovanović were kidnapped near Babaloć,[18] while 3 more KLA fighters died in Babaloć, Strellc i Epërm and Rastavica [sr; sq].[17]

On the same day, Julka Đuričković was killed in Dečani,[19] and her body was found by her husband Veljko, who subsequently committed suicide. Attacks continued over the following days, with several more incidents, including the killing of police officers Dušan Urošević and Vidosava Simić on 31 May in Dečani.[3] The violence, marked by both KLA attacks and Serbian police casualties, further exacerbated the dire situation in the area.[17]

Order of Battle

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Yugoslavia

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The operation began in June 1998 and, for the first time, involved a joint deployment of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) and the Yugoslav Army (VJ).[2][5][20][6] It included elements of:

    • Đakovica SUP (Secretariats for Internal Affairs), then led by Dragutin Adamović;[23]
      • Dečani OUP (Serbian: Оделења Унутршњих Послова, romanized: Odelenja Unutršnjih Poslova, literally Municipal Department for Internal Affairs, a local branch of the SUP),[24] led by Vukmir Mirčić.[25][26]

French, Greek and British defence attachés were also present.[31] The exact size of the Yugoslav force involved in the operation remains uncertain, although the Priština Corps of the Yugoslav Army (VJ) was known to consist of approximately 15,000 personnel.[28] A portion of this force took part in the operation.

KLA

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The size of the KLA force during the operation remains uncertain. However, it is presumed to have been substantial, as some sources claim that in the village of Glođane alone, between 2,000 and 3,000 KLA fighters were stationed.[4]

Timeline

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1 June

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On 1 June 1998, police forces (MUP), supported by mechanized military units, attempted to break into Dečani, but their advance was halted at the town’s entrance.[2] KLA fighters had established well-organized defensive positions, including trenches and fortified bunkers. They also strung electric wires across the bridge leading into Dečani, effectively preventing the passage of Yugoslav Army (VJ) tanks.[2] Heavy fighting broke out in Crnobreg, resulting in the deaths of KLA fighters Lavdim Likaj[38] and Blerim Dervishaj[39] after eleven hours of combat.[3] Halit Gogaj was wounded during the clashes, while Qaush Cacaj suffered psychological trauma.[38] The intensity of the fighting prompted the commander of the "Dukagjin" Operational Zone, Ramush Haradinaj,[34] to inspect and guide the frontline positions.[38] However, his direct involvement was prevented by the significant build-up of Yugoslav forces, both in manpower and weaponry.[38] 8 civilians were killed and 15 resulted missing.[3] In a separate incident near Dečani, Yugoslav police officer Željko Šijan was killed in an ambush carried out by KLA fighters.[3][40] Nevertheless, Yugoslav forces were forced to withdraw, having suffered substantial losses.[41]

2 June

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When the command in Kosovo realized the gravity of the situation, members of the Special Operations Unit (JSO) already on standby were deployed specifically to Dečani.[2] Their task was to break through the KLA’s encirclement of the town, link up with Serbian forces around the police station and a unit stationed at a resort near the monastery, and secure full control of Dečani from within. Meanwhile, other security forces were ordered to secure the access routes and ensure that the road appeared under government control, especially in anticipation of international observers.[2]

However, the JSO lacked sufficient manpower to clear Dečani street by street and to hold the positions afterward, preventing KLA fighters from returning. With regular police units engaged in clashes across Kosovo, reinforcements were scarce.[2] Given the urgency, a plan was agreed upon whereby the JSO would break through the first line of KLA defenses at the town’s entrance, advance into the center, and be joined there by two police detachments from Belgrade and Novi Sad.[2] Clashes resumed following the return of Yugoslav forces to the area.[41] After heavy resistance, evidenced by the exchange of hundreds of shells and rounds of gunfire, Besim and Faik Ukëhaxhaj were killed in Crnobreg,[3] while commander Isufi Ukëhaxhaj sustained serious injuries.[41][42][43] 1 civilian was killed and 2 resulted missing.[3]

3 June

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On 3 June, clashes occurred at the Bajramhasan Bridge, between the villages of Crnobreg and Prilep, on the Dečani–Đakovica road.[32] As a result, 3 KLA militants,[3] Selman Dukaj, Ahmet Baçaj and Rexhep Mazrekaj, were killed.[32][44][45] Elsewhere, in the mountainous terrain around Dečani, the commander of the "Black Eagles" KLA unit, Altin Haskaj [sq], was ambushed and killed by Yugoslav forces.[36][46][47] Despite suffering significant losses, members of the Special Police Units (PJP) and Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ) managed to break through KLA defenses in Dečani and recaptured the entire city that same day.[2] 2 civilian were killed and 1 resulted missing.[3]

Displacement of civilians

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UÇK monument in Dečani, Kosovo.

Amid heavy fighting in the Dečani region, the displacement of Albanian civilians began. United Nations (UN) estimates indicated that at least 65,000 people were forced into temporary shelters.[2][5][6] Kosovar Albanian representatives reported that tens of thousands had fled, while 15,000–20,000 Kosovar Albanian refugees had gathered in Istinić as a result of the operation of Serbian forces in the Deçani and Ðakovica areas.[48] Yugoslav authorities denied reports of mass crossings into Albania, asserting that the border was under tight control. In early June 1998, diplomats who visited Dečani described the area as a combat zone. Two villages to the north of Dečani and in the areas of Mališevo, Orahovac and Komorane houses were completely burnt to the ground.[49] Some diplomats stated that houses were burnt down and that the town of Dečani appeared deserted.[31] Meanwhile, in the regions of Srbica and Glogovac were shelled causing some 40,000 people to flee the region.[21]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Logos, Aleksandar A. (2019). Istorija Srba 1, Dopuna 4; Istorija Srba 5 (in Serbian). Beograd. p. 305. ISBN 978-86-85117-46-6. Део Срба у месту Дечани био је средином 1998. у потпуном окружењу од УЧК. У Београду било је видљиво да се неће моћи избећи већа употреба специјалне полиције и ВЈ против УЧК. Да се ослободе из окружења Срби у Дечанима у јуну 1998. употребљена је Војска Југославије, а од тада до септембра 1998. се повећала употреба специјалне полиције и Војске Југославије против УЧК. Serbian [In the middle of 1998, part of the Serbs in Dečani was completely surrounded by the KLA. In Belgrade, it was evident that greater use of the special police and VJ against the KLA would not be avoided. In June 1998, the Yugoslav Army was used to free the Serbs from encirclement in Dečani, and from then until September 1998, the use of the special police and the Yugoslav Army against the KLA increased.]{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q "Početak rata na Kosmetu i deblokada Dečana". specijalne-jedinice.com (in Serbian). Archived from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "List of killed, missing and disappeared, 1998–2000". hlc-rdc.org. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
  4. ^ a b "Kosovo: Nasilje Oduvalo Dijalog". nin.rs (in Serbian). 11 June 1998. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  5. ^ a b c d Schwarm, Philip (18 August 2010). "The price of wrong assessments and even worse lessons". vreme.com. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  6. ^ a b c Katalina, Dejan (10 June 2019). "Leto 1998. godine bilo je uvod u NATO bombardovanje (VIDEO)". espreso.co.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  7. ^ ICTY 2004, pp. 10, 11.
  8. ^ Nation, R. Craig (2003). War in the Balkans, 1991–2002 (PDF). Strategic Studies Institute, U.S. Army War College. p. 227. ISBN 1-58487-134-2. In June 1998, the Yugoslav Army launched a counter offensive, massing over 40,000 troops operating with tanks, helicopters, heavy artillery, and mortar fire, that gathered momentum as it progressed and by late summer seemed to be on the verge of breaking organized resistance once and for all.
  9. ^ Perritt, Henry (2010). Kosovo Liberation Army: The Inside Story of an Insurgency. University of Illinois Press. p. 70. ISBN 978-0-252-09213-8.
  10. ^ Krieger 2001, p. 109.
  11. ^ a b c HRW 2001, p. 42.
  12. ^ Djurovic & Petrusic 2017, p. 52.
  13. ^ "Colonel John Crosland CBE, MC". paradata.org.uk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  14. ^ a b Djurovic & Petrusic 2017, p. 53.
  15. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 105.
  16. ^ "Të pathënat për Betejën e Baballoqit, frontin e parë të luftës së UÇK-së". epokaere.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  17. ^ a b c "Report No. 415: On the widespread Repression and Harassment perpetrated by the Serbian Police and other Authorities in Kosova, from May 24 until May 27, 1998". bndlg.de. 9 June 1998. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  18. ^ ICTY 2007, p. 3.
  19. ^ "Kosovo Memory Book, 1998–2000: Deçane/Dečane, komuna e Deçanit/Dečani". kosovskaknjigapamcenja.org. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  20. ^ HRW 2001, p. 43.
  21. ^ a b c d ICTY 2011, p. 614.
  22. ^ HRW 2001, p. 85.
  23. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 19.
  24. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 20.
  25. ^ HRW 2001, p. 80.
  26. ^ "Defense Witness forced to defend himself". archive.sensecentar.org. 24 March 2010. Retrieved 13 May 2025. ... in the defense of police general Vlastimir Djordjevic, former police chief in Decani Vukmir Mircic denied yesterday ...
  27. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 32.
  28. ^ a b c ICTY 2011, p. 106.
  29. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 109.
  30. ^ Djurovic & Petrusic 2017, p. 214.
  31. ^ a b ICTY 2011, p. 115.
  32. ^ a b c "Selman Tahir Dukaj (8.11.1960–3.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  33. ^ Djurovic & Petrusic 2017, p. 126.
  34. ^ a b HRW 2001, p. 2001.
  35. ^ "Hasan Ukëhaxhaj: Komiteti i Deçanit, LNÇKVSHJ (8)". pashtriku.org (in Albanian). 25 January 2024. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  36. ^ a b "Altin Sadri Haskaj (24.5.1978–3.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 12 May 2025.
  37. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 108.
  38. ^ a b c d "Lavdim Rexhep Likaj (11.8.1978–1.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  39. ^ Dean, Fadil Dervishaj. "If only I had found it, I wouldn't have been upset". telegrafi.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  40. ^ "Victims of Albanian Terrorism, 1998". nointervention.com. 10 March 1999. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  41. ^ a b c "Faik Jahë Ukëhaxhaj (15.5.1963–2.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  42. ^ "Besim Bilall Ukëhaxhaj (10.4.1962–2.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  43. ^ Ukëhaxhaj, Shkëlzen (2 June 2018). "Faik e Besim Ukëhaxhaj, rënia dhe përkujtimi". epokaere.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  44. ^ "Ahmet Ismet Baçaj (25.10.1965–3.6.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  45. ^ "Rexhep Musë Mazrekaj (21.1.1959–3.6.1999)". radiokosovaelire.com (in Albanian). Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  46. ^ "The confession of the mother of the martyr Altin Haskaj, who was the first of the "Black Eagles" (Video)". telegrafi.com. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  47. ^ "Rrëfimi i nënës së dëshmorit Altin Haskaj, që ishte i pari i "Shqiponjave të Zeza"". kosova-sot.info (in Albanian). 3 June 2006. Retrieved 13 May 2025.
  48. ^ ICTY 2011, pp. 740, 784.
  49. ^ ICTY 2011, p. 633.

Sources

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Bibliography
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