Adam Yashhar's last letter

The archive of the Kosovo People's Movement and the KLA preserves enough evidence concerning extraordinary figures of war and its major events. Among them, like a precious wealth of the nation, are letters written by its leading personalities, at different times and in different places, and for problems related to war, its preparation, and its development.

Among the most valuable are tape tapes coming from Adem Jashar and Drenica's group, the beginning, and the letter, which, unfortunately, is now 15 years old. It has its historical values, as one of the evidence of war, but also human values, because behind its ranks are people with great ideals who have loved Albania more than eye vision.

This letter, on her 15th anniversary, I thought I'd make it known to the newspaper's readers. THE day, which has even earlier made room on its pages for a bright period of the nation's Renaissance.

This letter, sent by Adam Jashar, written by his brother Hamza, and signed by a group of Drenica warriors, is one of the messages of war. Of course, it is not written with the thought that it will ever be published; it is a letter among war companions, it speaks of the realisation of an action and other problems. But in all of its ranks, too obvious, you can see what would come next. Written simply, like everything that is grandly beautiful, without great words and without boasting, it carries historical testimony, not just a battle.

This letter was written in late 1997, exactly in December of this year. Initially it has been faxed, from outside Kosovo, according to data from a fax at Skopje Airport, and then came the original, after several days, through illegal channels. The letter is preserved today in the archives of the Kosovo People's Movement, where it has been addressed, while a copy of it is preserved in Kosovo.

Here's the letter, almost complete:

Dear friends and brothers,

Some data about the event in the village of Vojnik, located on November 25th 1997, between our forces and the Serbian army's secret police. The event begins with announcing a civil vehicle called “niva” with four civilian persons making suspicious moves to the village from neighborhood to neighborhood. We watched and conveyed him until he came to the Binaca neighbourhood and right next to the house where our activities are located. According to the friend's confession, this tried to identify, but they tried to betray him by showing one of them that we're Albanian “ “we're 18x3> and as soon as he's finished his word, one of them shoots a couple of times, in the direction of our activities. His trigger saved him from the bullets, and at great speed he turned the machine and hit the vehicle, and it is known that he shot some of it in. Suspects quickly leave the scene, leaving the signs of broken glass and blood signs.

That was around 14.00. Once the suspect is removed, it breaks into the house and joins the three other companions who were willing to help, but the danger was thought to pass. They decided not to leave the village for possible police intervention. That's what happened.

Two hours later, about 4: 00 p.m., two autoblindes, accompanied by a “, enter the village. NIVA” and the Binaca neighborhood. These, our friends, occupy positions on the nearby mountain and in nearby fences. But as soon as we arrive, the punitive expeditions of special forces descend from the blindes and start shooting in different directions to spread panic. But at that time, our compounded forces, as we said before, from four persons, open fire and turn the conflict between them and the Serbian punitive expedition. Uneven in number and technique, the attraction is made toward the forest. Serbian special forces fired and began to approach, which we were forced to use, though few. Then, with the use of bombs, Serbs withdrew to the autoblinda, and war was fought only by autoblindas. This lasted until about 18 o'clock but could not push us from the position we caught in the forest. This led them to leave the neighborhood and village at great speed.

We did not have any victims or injuries: On the other hand, there have been signs of blood on the scene, especially many where the bombs were used.

As for later organisation and information for members, this is how it works: Also organized are field observers. One of them notices the self-blinks going towards Kline or Turikevcit, until the case we talked about earlier, we had information. The announcement of some of our workshops was made, and they made the announcement of the members, but only to be willing, that once we get the news of what's going on in the field, we're ready for help. The night made its own, and late it became known that it was the village of Vojnik where police forces went. Even though we rushed to the Vojnik, the police's pull did not confront us that evening. We got together and agreed that there was no loss on our own. We decided to be watching the terrain, all roads leading to the scene. We sent our observers, and the others too, to decide, for we also received the approval of our friend at direct events so that if the police were to undergo some punitive operation, we could resist. It was decided that before breakfast the most strategic points on the roads leading up to the endangered region would be fought, keeping in mind that forces could intervene from Mitrovica, Peja, but also from the breaks. The groups were assigned that would catch the ambush but also the observers for the announcement. Everything in Drenica and about her was under control. Our wish was, and we prayed, that the very place where the confrontation occurred might be so.

So there we predicted that we would win victory. We had an opportunity earlier, so we could cut”, but right there where we wanted it, we came, we were a couple of groups, in several ambushes. The column was long. We had news from the observers that they were involved with helicopters. We waited until they entered the midst of all groups from 3 .4 to 5 people in the group, where the total number of us was 23 from the village of Luludevic to the place called “pop crossings”). Others were in other countries, not to describe them all now.

The column came in wherever we wanted. First we attacked with mine launchers, and then some with bombs and some with different firearms, such as machine guns, snipers, and machine guns. The confirmation began about 10 o'clock, where it lasted until about 13 to 14.

The operation was very difficult, fierce, unbroken, spent a lot of ammunition, especially on helicopters. Our position on the force was on the level, even though some were the first, except for the waste on ammunition, by our forces there was no loss or injury. Most importantly, even the villagers on these sides responded and filled the mountains with willing warriors, where during their withdrawal police were attacked from all sides, where the panic police shot into civilian objects, schools, and mosques.

After being pushed by Serbian special forces, we went to the scene of the enemy forces. They had left in the country much evidence to show that there was a loss and that there was panic. We found various ammunition from large calibre to revolvers, bloody vests, nuclea, various caricators, gas masks, tear sheds, and many more. All the way from the village of Luludevic to the place “The pop criteria” were covered by shells. Dames suffered by the enemy, what we've seen, are a flat autoblint, a broken, destroyed machine gun, one of the” pisharauers” burned and some partially burned blines. Helicopters suspect he was hit, that very soon he left and stopped looking, leaving his forces alone, half an hour before they retired.

We have great demands for membership, but no weapons. Very few of you have worked this way. So friends working on this Drenica Three, they want us to represent one of our former friends who is now outside under his conspiracy name “VET”

At the end of this story, we greet you warmly from Drenica.

Glory to fall for freedom.

From a company of companions,

Signed: Rapheta, Gipa, Zena, Dili, Nura, Dyli, Gafurri.

An explanation for readers: Who are the signers of who is “Veshi”

This is Adam Jashar.

) “Gipa” was Ilaz Kodra (commandor of the “Fehmi Ladrovci”-killed in the war),

This was Zenun Kodra,

It was Fadil Kodra,

This was Nurredin Lushtaku,

This is Hamez Yashhar.

) “Gafurri” was Abednego Rexha, later known as “Sandakani”, brigade commander, killed in the war.

Of the seven signed, four were killed in the war, the other three are in KPC today, with superior degrees, Major General and beyond. While “Veshi” was Ramiz Ladrovci's conspiracy name during the war, tasked with a special importance to the Kosovo People's Movement, as its representative in Albania and near the KLA General Staff.

I have always been amazed at this letter since it was in my hands for the first time, even now. Overall, various KLA shares have been informed in the General Staff or the Organisation's Headship. Some of them are still preserved. But this letter, simply written, from time to time by short on certain events, has a great value in it: Never and nowhere can you find glory, chest beatings, nowhere do you find any names that were him or me, but everything remained in the name of friends and freedom fighters.

About three months after that letter, Adem Jashar was killed in the war. But anyone who has the opportunity to read these times may well realize that nothing has been random. /Bedra Islami

First published on DIA on December 19, 2013.