The family members of the 9 martyrs of the Brigade “Agim Ramadani” from Pristina and Podujevo

So said today on the occasion of decorating the family of the 9 martyrs of the Brigade 138 “Agim Ramadani” from Pristina and Podujevo. At this ceremony, stories of the Kosovo war and the challenges that KLA fighters went through during the defeat of Serb forces in April 1999.

Former Brigade Commander “Agim Ramadani”, Rrustem Berisha has spoken on Kostunica's Battle and its importance for Kosovo's liberation.

Kostunica's “Battle has not happened by accident, but has been prepared, planned by the military of Brigade 138. Also, this brigade on April 9th has received an offensive to remove the Albanian border by gun force, but prior to that date there have been many surveillances, training, preparation, actions, various battles because many think that the history of the Serbian Battle begins on April 9th, but actually this brigade has its history, as well as other Kosovo Liberation Army brigade<1>, Berisha said.

He has expressed very fortunate that he had the opportunity to have Kostare's fighters, and stressed that if he had all of Kosovo's young people, he would not have been able to choose the best.

I am very proud to have the fate of having Kostunica's warriors, and often in various organizations, he stressed that if someone added to me maybe all of Kosovo's young people, I wouldn't have known how to pick the best of what came to the Battle of Koshara... Much easier to understand the Battle of Kosare, at an altitude of 2,000 meters [2,000 m] of snow to two, and the temperature minus 20, only 24 hours to stand in front of Serbian forces shows a lot about the morality of these fighters that we are today honoring and respecting”, he said.

For those still in doubt about whether this battle has been a victory, Berisha said he guarantees the victory for this great military, political and diplomatic battle.

At that time, the Battle of Kosare has had a big echo for the civilian population, for people who really looked like 100 years at night, but it has also been a motive for all those warriors who have been on the front lines and have continued the resistance... In time, there is much debate over this battle, whether it is victory or loss. We have also heard television debates, but I guarantee that this battle is a major military, political and diplomatic victory”, Berisha said.

While the excitement of the day, when the news of the defeat of Serbian military forces and taking control of Kostare, reminded the mayor of the Pristina municipality of Progress Rama, stressing that that victory gave him the feeling of joining.

I remember as today the emotions we had from the day we were given news through large channels like CNN's BBC, that the 138 Brigade, on that day in April 1999, won the battle after breaking through Albania and defeating Serbian military forces by taking over the military base in Kostunica. And the news from the Albanian-language media sounded so beautiful in our ears that the Brigade broke the Albanian-Albanian border. This also gave us a sense of union, strength, an increase of pride, and I needed very close freedom. The day in our destiny we would decide for ourselves”, Rama said.

The family of martyrs Afrem Gashi, Burim Grayqefci, Ernes Zariqi, Fatos Limani, Fitush Kukaj, Rifat Gugjufi, Zeki Sylemaya, Mentor Hymolli and Muharrem Mehmeti were honoured.