Adem Jashari
Encyclopedia
Adem Jashari (28 November 1955 – 7 March 1998) was born in Prekaz, in the Drenica
region of Kosovo
, (at the time Yugoslavia). He is considered to be one of the chief architects of the Kosovo Liberation Army
, along with Zahir Pajaziti
. Jashari was a chief commander in the Drenica operation zone of the KLA.
Along with his brother Hamza, Adem acted as a guerrilla fighter often engaged in attacks against Serbian military and paramilitary forces. Milošević’s Yugoslavia, considered him a terrorist, which led to the military action by the Yugoslav military in 1998. In July 1997 a Yugoslav court had convicted him in absentia of terrorist actions in a trial condemned by international human rights groups. He was killed
in March 1998, along with most of his extended family, when Yugoslav security forces laid siege to his home in Prekaz.
to train with the first volunteers who later joined in Kosovo Liberation Army
(KLA). On 28 February 1998 a group of KLA fighters led by Adem Jashari were attacked by Serbian police patrols killing four policemen and injuring two. In the attack sixteen KLA
members were killed, and many civilian Albanians. "More than 50 ethnic Albanians, including women and children, were killed", reported BBC at the time. The first battle between Jashari and his friends against federal forces took place on the morning of 30 December 1991. Jashari's house was surrounded by a large number of security personnel demanding his surrender. They broke the siege and later participated in several actions against the Yugoslav army and police. Jashari's residence in Prekaz was next attacked by federal police forces on 22 January 1998. The attack was repelled when, according to Shaban Jashari, Adem's father and others came to help.
from a nearby ammunition factory. The gun battle lasted for two days.
Police forces first asked Jashari to come out and give himself up, then gave him a 2 hour deadline to consider the offer. After time ran out, shootings started. In one of the houses, the police fired mortars, followed by tear gas. Most of Jashari's extended family gathered in a single room, which had a brick wall. The shelling continued for another thirty-six hours before the police finally entered the compound. Adem Jashari together with fifty-two of his family members were killed, some of them burned beyond recognition.
on Sunday, 17 February 2008. The t-shirts are known to say "Bac, U Kry!
", which roughly translates to 'Uncle, It's done!" in English. The family home in Prekaz i Poshtem has been converted into a shrine, and the anniversary of his death is marked by the Epopee of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The title "Hero of Kosovo" was awarded to him in 2008 by the Prime Minister of Kosovo.
Nevertheless, Jashari's attacks and rebellion was sometimes associated with behavior of Drenica kaçaks from the past:
Drenica
Drenica also known as the Drenica Valley, is a hilly region in central Kosovo, covering . Located west of the capital Prishtina, its population of 110,000 is largely ethnic-Albanian....
region of Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
, (at the time Yugoslavia). He is considered to be one of the chief architects of the Kosovo Liberation Army
Kosovo Liberation Army
The Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
, along with Zahir Pajaziti
Zahir Pajaziti
Zahir Pajaziti was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army. In 2008, former president of Kosovo Fatmir Sejdiu declared him a Hero of Kosovo.- References :...
. Jashari was a chief commander in the Drenica operation zone of the KLA.
Along with his brother Hamza, Adem acted as a guerrilla fighter often engaged in attacks against Serbian military and paramilitary forces. Milošević’s Yugoslavia, considered him a terrorist, which led to the military action by the Yugoslav military in 1998. In July 1997 a Yugoslav court had convicted him in absentia of terrorist actions in a trial condemned by international human rights groups. He was killed
Attack on Prekaz
The Attack on Prekaz was an operation led by the Serbian police Anti-terrorist Unit, launched on March 5, 1998...
in March 1998, along with most of his extended family, when Yugoslav security forces laid siege to his home in Prekaz.
Life
In 1991, Jashari moved to AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
to train with the first volunteers who later joined in Kosovo Liberation Army
Kosovo Liberation Army
The Kosovo Liberation Army or KLA was a Kosovar Albanian paramilitary organization which sought the separation of Kosovo from Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the 1990s....
(KLA). On 28 February 1998 a group of KLA fighters led by Adem Jashari were attacked by Serbian police patrols killing four policemen and injuring two. In the attack sixteen KLA
KLA
KLA may refer to:*Kaella, a French Linux distribution based on Knoppix*KLA-Tencor, semiconductor equipment company*Kerala Library Association, professional association for librarians in Kerala*Klamath-Modoc language - ISO 639-3 code kla...
members were killed, and many civilian Albanians. "More than 50 ethnic Albanians, including women and children, were killed", reported BBC at the time. The first battle between Jashari and his friends against federal forces took place on the morning of 30 December 1991. Jashari's house was surrounded by a large number of security personnel demanding his surrender. They broke the siege and later participated in several actions against the Yugoslav army and police. Jashari's residence in Prekaz was next attacked by federal police forces on 22 January 1998. The attack was repelled when, according to Shaban Jashari, Adem's father and others came to help.
Death
In the early morning hours of 5 March 1998, Prekaz was attacked again by the large forces of Yugoslav national army and police. A second ring of troops was formed to prevent any possible escape. The attacking force consisted of armored personnel carriers and policemen, backed up by artilleryArtillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
from a nearby ammunition factory. The gun battle lasted for two days.
Police forces first asked Jashari to come out and give himself up, then gave him a 2 hour deadline to consider the offer. After time ran out, shootings started. In one of the houses, the police fired mortars, followed by tear gas. Most of Jashari's extended family gathered in a single room, which had a brick wall. The shelling continued for another thirty-six hours before the police finally entered the compound. Adem Jashari together with fifty-two of his family members were killed, some of them burned beyond recognition.
Aftermath
Jashari became a symbol of independence for Kosovars, as many have been known to wear t-shirts with his picture after Kosovo declared its independence2008 Kosovo declaration of independence
The 2008 Kosovo declaration of independence was adopted on 17 February 2008 by individual members of the Assembly of Kosovo acting in personal capacity and not binding to the Assembly itself...
on Sunday, 17 February 2008. The t-shirts are known to say "Bac, U Kry!
Bac u kry
Bac u kry is a Slogan which was used during the Kosovo's independence from Serbia in February 2008. It means Uncle, It is done!The slogan was also used on T-shirts, pens and posters...
", which roughly translates to 'Uncle, It's done!" in English. The family home in Prekaz i Poshtem has been converted into a shrine, and the anniversary of his death is marked by the Epopee of the Kosovo Liberation Army. The title "Hero of Kosovo" was awarded to him in 2008 by the Prime Minister of Kosovo.
Nevertheless, Jashari's attacks and rebellion was sometimes associated with behavior of Drenica kaçaks from the past:
Trivia
- Pristina International Airport Adem Jashari - The main KosovarKosovarKosovar/Kosovan may refer to:* Something of, from, or related to Kosovo, a landlocked region in the Balkans, the majority of which is governed by the partially-recognised Republic of Kosovo....
Airport is named after Adem Jashari
External links
- Article about Adem Jashari - Gazeta Wyborcza