Officer Shaqiri testifies to experiences in Banjska: The attack hasn't stopped since the blast, I've got serious injuries.

He told of the injuries he had received on the critical day of September 24, 2023, the loss of Sergeant Africa Bulnjak, and the way they managed to escape the hail of bullets that fell on them without stopping.

Shaqiri said he is a police official in the Unit for Quick Intervention in the Kosovo Police, reports “The Justice Trust“.

Initially, special prosecutor Naim Abazi asked the witness if he was injured on the critical day and continues to receive medical treatment.

I received serious injuries that day as a result of the attack and continue to receive medical treatment”, Shaqiri said.

According to him, on September 23rd, 2023 at 8: 00 a.m., police officials, Alban Rashit and Mirsad Kryeziu, at the Izvore checkpoint for control- consciously assisting units operating in that section.

Shaqiri said that in the morning the situation was quiet and that there was nothing extraordinary, so it was worked as usual.

After we completed the shift at 2: 00 p.m. we continued at the base and patrolled into that section until we made the replacement of colleagues at 800x1>, Shaqiri said.

The Witness said that after replacing their colleagues, they continued on duty, about an hour later they received information through the commanding room for a suspicious car in that section.

It said they had continued the patrol, while the KM license vehicle had been verified and found that there was nothing illegal.

Shaqiri stressed that after the completion of the schedule, they have accepted replacements from colleagues, from where they went on to base in Kostova of Vlachia with Alban and Mirsad.

We have noticed two trucks placed on the bridge, which have blocked the bridge. We have been trying to contact the command chamber to block the road, but because there are no waves, no radio connections or radio connections have worked”, Shaqiri said.

He indicated that after giving the information about the commanding chamber, they were told to return to Banjska to take images of operational issues to report what the situation is like.

We have contact with Lieutenant Colonel Veton Elshan, who has asked me how many police officials you are and has shown us to seek assistance from officials for quick Kostunica-based intervention to evacuate the barricade. We wanted them to come as soon as they could because we saw that the situation isn't usually”, he said.

Later, he claimed that two patrols had come from Zvecan station at 3:00 with Sergeant Africa Buxaku.

At that moment, we have made a communications between colleagues where we have divided positions, specifically tasks, and during communication with colleague Alban, I have been asked to stand at the car”, Shaqiri said.

According to him, Sergeant Bulnjak and the other officials who had gone to that location, as far as he was at the car, had gone to the left and had gone to control the barricade on the bridge.

At that moment, Shaqiri says he had been contacted by Elshani, who had been told that patrols went and during the conversation, said there had been two successive explosions.

I've managed to say on the phone that there's a shot and I've got some protection near the engine of the car until my colleagues were near the trucks, where there's been an explosion. Before the attack happened, I didn't have to notice anything suspicious since in the part where we stayed there was a bigger light, while from the Banjska-cribly village section, it was dark”, he said.

Liberation Shaqiri stated that after the explosion had occurred on his right side, he said it had become smoke and had not seen and what was happening.

I'm protecting the car engine and I'm fighting back. I've heard colleague Alban calling to bring me the car that a colleague is seriously injured. It was about the late sergeant”, Shaqiri said.

After hearing the call, he said that he had stepped into the car and started moving back to approach the sergeant, but because of successive attacks, he had failed to send the car near the sergeant, because the car was badly damaged and stopped, leaving him inside.

According to the witness, at that point he saw Alban stay inside the car yesterday he called him out of the car, and he was out of it. There the policeman Rashi had asked him to continue toward him, which he had set fire to. But he says he didn't know Rashi was injured.

“I have managed to go near colleagues in the hail of bullets and that is where I have learned that except for the late sergeant, colleague Alban Rashiti” has also been injured, Shaqiri said.

During the testimony, he said the shooting had not stopped at any moment from the moment of the explosion, while the weapons the attackers wanted were heavy -- but because of the darkness have failed to identify the devices that were used.

“Sulmi was from the direction of the Banjsca Monastery and around. During the presence of officials who were close to the trucks, police official Mirsad approached us and tried to make moves to get closer to the cars we had at the location. While he made moves, me and colleague Alban and the others, we covered it with fire”, the witness said.

Police officer Mirsad Kryeziu, Shaqiri, says he had continued by the cars trying to help the sergeant, had entered one of the cars -- but that Rashi had told him it was the very car that was not working (this was the Shaqiri before).

Alban Rashit, according to police officer Shaqiri, had told him to damage the lighting because they were in a bad position and in danger of life. So they turned off the light on that part.

Myrdsad took the other car and took the body of Sergeant Africa, started pulling my body into the car, where another colleague from Zvecan station helped them, but because of the attack, they couldn't put it all away. In this case, Mirsad called for help from me and Alban”, Shaqiri said.

Officer Rashit, since he was injured, police official Shaqiri says he has asked him to help his colleagues. Said he saw his pulse.

I haven't noticed a pulse and we haven't been able to get help. While many have been attacked even at those times they have managed to pull the body and go towards South Mitrovica”, the witness said.

Until he returned to colleagues near the truck, he says he had made an effort to seek help from colleagues, but time has passed and aid was delayed. He said that at that moment they had discussed how to withdraw from the attack because of the great risk of life.

Shaqiri claimed that they had soon seen an armoured car reach, trying to pull them out of that location. Once they were in the car, he first said he started helping Alban Rashi -- because he was in serious condition and he was bleeding a lot.

I'm trying to stop the bleeding, but in those moments because of the adrenaline and the risk, I haven't felt any pain in my shoulders, either I've got the injury. On the way, the pain began to grow and we continued at the Mitrovica Hospital, where assistance has been offered to us”, Shaqiri said.

He says the attack was enormous, at risk of life loss for him and other colleagues.

“As a police official, but even in my life I haven't heard from and faced any such attack, since the attack has been too high and heavy weapons has been used”, the witness said, answering the questions of prosecutor Abazi.

The policeman said he continues to be on medical leave because of the severe physical and psychological injuries he had experienced that day from that attack.

“Sulmi has never ceased from the moment of explosions until leaving the location and at any moment has increased intensity”, Shaqiri said.

Vladimir Tolich's defender, lawyer Milos Delevich, asked him how he had suffered injuries. Shaqiri said that at the moment the explosion had occurred, he felt a pressure on his chest and when he had helped pull the body of Sergeant Bulnjak, he had noticed that the pain in that part was too great.

Dusan Maksimovic's defender, lawyer Jovana Filipovovic, asked him how she had communicated with Colonel Veton Elshani after stating she had no network on the phone.

“As I also testified, in the part where the country-state attack did not have access to communication and we have moved into that part- now the telecommunication issue doesn't know how they work, but we had communication during the movement, but not sustainable communication”, the witness responded.

Police Liberation Shaqiri stated that because the part from which they were attacked has been dark, it has been impossible to identify people with facial images or something else.

He said that in the village of Banjska they have been patrolling for a long time and part in the part of Izvori- this part said he knows it well.

Judge Arben Hoti asked him whether there was any indication or information that this event could occur, for which the witness said they had no information or such indicators.

“has been well-planned and well thought out”, Shaqiri said when asked if they were caught unawares. He finally said the attack was not provoked. /Periscope/