Drenica
Encyclopedia
Drenica also known as the Drenica Valley, is a hilly region in central Kosovo
, covering 1200 square kilometres (463 sq mi). Located west of the capital Prishtina, its population of 110,000 (1991 Census) is largely ethnic-Albanian
.
The region comprises the municipalities of Drenas and Skenderaj
, with these cities being at the same time the respective municipal capitals and major population centers of each municipality. A popular attraction are the Çiçavicë mountains, located northeast of Gllogoc.
, and brothers Đurđe and Lazar, endows the village of Dobroševce to the Monastery of Saint Paul of Mount Athos
. Despot Đurađ Branković (1427 —1456) founded the Devič monastery
in the reigon.
Traditionally this region showed strong resistance to any of the regimes installed in Kosovo by force. Before and after World War Two, the region was the site of much rebel activity.
The villages surrounding the towns of Drenas and Skenderaj are the birthplace of the Kosovo Liberation Army
(KLA), which began armed operations in Drenica in 1996. A KLA stronghold during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War
, the region saw many armed conflicts with Serbia
n police and military forces organized by Slobodan Milošević
. The hilltop village of Likoc served as regional headquarters for the KLA until the Serbs recaptured it in an offensive in September 1998. The area around Çiçavicë also saw activity between Serb forces and the 114th Brigade of the KLA.
Yugoslav army
and paramilitary
units used a Feronikel plant near Gllogoc as a base for operations from 1998 to 1999. Before the war, the factory produced nickel
and ore
. After the Albanian workers were laid off or expelled, it was also used as a barracks
and a fire base, in which cannons and rockets were fired against KLA positions. The plant was bombed by NATO forces on April 29, 1999, causing an unknown number of casualties and extensive damage.
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...
, covering 1200 square kilometres (463 sq mi). Located west of the capital Prishtina, its population of 110,000 (1991 Census) is largely ethnic-Albanian
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
.
The region comprises the municipalities of Drenas and Skenderaj
Skënderaj
Srbica or Skënderaj is a city and municipality in the Kosovska Mitrovica district of northern Kosovo. It is the largest city in the Drenica region of Kosovo.- Name :...
, with these cities being at the same time the respective municipal capitals and major population centers of each municipality. A popular attraction are the Çiçavicë mountains, located northeast of Gllogoc.
History
Drenica is first mentioned in 1413, when Đorđe Branković, his mother MaraMara Brankovic
Mara Branković , also known as Mara Hatun, Despina Hatun, or Amerissa, was the daughter of Serbian monarch Đurađ Branković and Eirene Kantakouzene...
, and brothers Đurđe and Lazar, endows the village of Dobroševce to the Monastery of Saint Paul of Mount Athos
Mount Athos
Mount Athos is a mountain and peninsula in Macedonia, Greece. A World Heritage Site, it is home to 20 Eastern Orthodox monasteries and forms a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of the Hellenic Republic. Spiritually, Mount Athos comes under the direct jurisdiction of the...
. Despot Đurađ Branković (1427 —1456) founded the Devič monastery
Devic
Devič is a Serb Orthodox abbey in Serbia . It was built in 1434 and is dedicated to St. Joannicius of Devič.Devič was declared Monument of Culture of Exceptional Importance in 1990, and it is protected by Republic of Serbia....
in the reigon.
Traditionally this region showed strong resistance to any of the regimes installed in Kosovo by force. Before and after World War Two, the region was the site of much rebel activity.
The villages surrounding the towns of Drenas and Skenderaj are the birthplace 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....
(KLA), which began armed operations in Drenica in 1996. A KLA stronghold during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
, the region saw many armed conflicts with Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n police and military forces organized by Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević
Slobodan Milošević was President of Serbia and Yugoslavia. He served as the President of Socialist Republic of Serbia and Republic of Serbia from 1989 until 1997 in three terms and as President of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from 1997 to 2000...
. The hilltop village of Likoc served as regional headquarters for the KLA until the Serbs recaptured it in an offensive in September 1998. The area around Çiçavicë also saw activity between Serb forces and the 114th Brigade of the KLA.
Yugoslav army
Yugoslav Army
Aside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...
and paramilitary
Paramilitary
A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military, but which is not considered part of a state's formal armed forces....
units used a Feronikel plant near Gllogoc as a base for operations from 1998 to 1999. Before the war, the factory produced nickel
Nickel
Nickel is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Ni and atomic number 28. It is a silvery-white lustrous metal with a slight golden tinge. Nickel belongs to the transition metals and is hard and ductile...
and ore
Ore
An ore is a type of rock that contains minerals with important elements including metals. The ores are extracted through mining; these are then refined to extract the valuable element....
. After the Albanian workers were laid off or expelled, it was also used as a barracks
Barracks
Barracks are specialised buildings for permanent military accommodation; the word may apply to separate housing blocks or to complete complexes. Their main object is to separate soldiers from the civilian population and reinforce discipline, training and esprit de corps. They were sometimes called...
and a fire base, in which cannons and rockets were fired against KLA positions. The plant was bombed by NATO forces on April 29, 1999, causing an unknown number of casualties and extensive damage.
Notable People
- Ahmet Delia
- Azem GalicaAzem GalicaAzem Bejta , commonly known as Azem Galica, was a Albanian nationalist and rebel who fought for the unification of Kosovo with Albania.-Life:Bejta was born in the village of Galica in the Drenica region of central Kosovo...
- Shote GalicaShote GalicaShote Galica , born as Qerime Radisheva was a remarkable warrior of çeta of the Kosovar insurgent national liberation with the goal of unification of all Albanian territories, and supporting a democratic national regime in Albania...
- Hasan PrishtinaHasan PrishtinaHasan Prishtina born Hasan Berisha was an Albanian politician, who served as Prime Minister of Albania in December 1921.-Biography:He studied politics and law in Istanbul...
- Shaban Jashari
- Adem JashariAdem JashariAdem Jashari was born in Prekaz, in the Drenica region of Kosovo, . He is considered to be one of the chief architects of the Kosovo Liberation Army, along with Zahir Pajaziti...
- Rifat Berisha
- Fehmi Lladrovci
- Avni SpahiuAvni SpahiuAvni Spahiu was born on 12 March 1953 in the town of Mitrovica, Kosovo. He worked as a journalist, human rights activist and was the head of Radio Television of Kosovo. Currently he is the ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the United States...
- Muje Loshi
- Tahir Berisha
- Millosh Kopiliqi
- Shaban PolluzhaShaban PolluzhaShaban Kastrati better known as Shaban Polluzha was an Albanian military leader in Kosovo.He was the son of Mustafëe Rexhep Kastrati from the village Polluzhë, Drenica region. During World War I he fought with the Entente against Bulgaria and Austria. Later he fought against Yugoslavia. In 1921...
- Mehmet Gradica
- Tahir Meha
- Lulzim BashaLulzim BashaLulzim Xhelal Basha is an Albanian politician.In 2005, Basha was appointed Minister of Public Works, Transport and Telecommunications in the government of Sali Berisha where he served for two years...
- Hashim ThaciHashim ThaciHashim Thaçi is the Prime Minister of Republic of Kosovo, the leader of the Democratic Party of Kosovo , and former political leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army .-Early life and education:...
- Fatmir LimajFatmir LimajFatmir Limaj is a politician from Kosovo. He is a member of the Democratic Party of Kosovo and is considered to be Hashim Thaçi's right hand and close political partner...
- Jakup KrasniqiJakup KrasniqiJakup Krasniqi is an Albanian politician and former acting President of Kosovo. He is the Chairman of the Assembly of Kosovo.-Early life:...
- Ilir Shaqiri
- Leonora JakupiLeonora Jakupi-Hits:* 1997 - "O Bo Bo" * 1997 - "Nuk me Duhet Gjermania" * 1998- "A vritet pafajsia?" * 1999 - "Ne Zemer te me Ndjesh" * 2001 - "Sahara"...
- Mujë Krasniqi
- Hamzë Jashari
- Fehmi Lladrofci
- Enver Zymberi