5, 6 and 7 March, 1998 are labeled as:
The battle to determine the future of Albanians
The battle that brought back dignity to Albanians
The battle that inspires every patriot
KLA Epopee
On 5thMarch 1998, around 3 o’clock, after midnight, numerous terrorist and military police Serb forces with armored vehicles have broken fence of the Hunting Ammunition Factory in Skenderaj and have attacked Jashari family houses. These armored vehicles, accompanied by Serbian policemen and soldiers have entered the territories of the family without lights, shooting and killing everything and everyone. Later, other polices forces equipped with pinzgauer, tanks, cannons of various anti-air calibers, went towards Palac, where have been positioned. Meantime have arrived major forces in the direction of Gllogofc (Drenas), where is supposed to have been over 60 armored vehicles and other military and police forces vehicles.
Thus, from the early morning hours and late evening hours where heard shots mainly from heavy artillery guns, and Jasharaj neighborhood was in the beginning burned in fire. Their houses were destroyed. Since it was surrounded by an iron circuit, it was impossible to get in or out from that state siege. Besides the Jashari neighborhood, police and military terrorist units of Serbia continued to shot also over the Lushtaku and Ferizi neighborhoods in Prekaz.
Witnesses have claimed that 12-13 armored vehicles were stationed in the country between Mikushnicaand Prekaz. Serbian police and army used tanks to endanger houses and neighborhoods in the village Mikushnica, which has about 100 houses, from which the inhabitants had fled. In the mountains of Krasaliq, Prellofcit, Kozhica and Gradica have been evacuated families from Mikushnica, but also and from villages Palacand Prekaz, e.g. those families who can afford to leave. Only those people who were on curfew know the horror of that day that manifested with thunders, strokes, demolitions and flames.
Apart from the first state siege that included the Prekaz, Palacin, there was also a second round of state siege, made by terrorist police forces and the Serbian Army starting from Shipol, Tërrnafc, both Klina, Llaushë, Rezalla, Kryshefci and Polluzha then continuing to the Açareva, Kopiliq and Vojnik. It was rumored that the infantry had entered in Prekaz massacring people in the house. Many citizens were evacuated from Galica.
On the first day of the attack on the Jashari family, has begun a mighty struggle against Serbian military and police forces. The family of Adem Jashari began fighting without prepared compromise to make resistance even until death. According to the story of Besarta Jashari, witness of this Epopee “In the first day has taken place the huge battle, during the whole day houses were shelled. On that day, was killed just Adilja, wife of Adem. She was murdered on the steps of one house after she had gone to get munitions on the third floor of the house where the rooms were filled with weapons.The whole day was characterized by powerful shots of Serb forces, while in the evening the shooting were eased. In the evening, Adem Jashari with boys, Blerim, Kushtrim and Igaballi filled the cartridges and get ready for another day fight. They observed and monitored the situation very closely". [1].
On the second day of the attack on the Jashari family, namely on 6 March1998, fighting according to the Besarta story began in this way: “Since morning, the shelling started again by Serb forces. Shells were fallen in every part of the house and yard. A grenade fragments and bits caught underneath Igball, son of Baci Rifat. Shelling continued to be the stronger and from the pieces of shelling are killed other family members. Adam and Hamza along with family guys resisted in their positions. Most tragic was a grenade which fell in basement and split it into two parts, destroying it. That grenade killed some of our other family members. From this and several other grenades that was thrown, died from sustained injuries even Hidajete, Rifat’s daughter and my sister Fatima, who was two years younger than me. Besim, Kushtrim and Adem were still alive and fought from one position to another. [2]From this it can be understood that the battle is only just escalate even more, despite the damage being inflicted day by day.
On the third day of the attack, on 7 March 1998, which is considered as the day of the heroic KLA Commander Adem Jashari and his family, the glorious day of Epopee KLA, by Besarta are described the last and main moments of fighting in Jasharaj house. “Adem moved from the position that had at wall in the yard and came towards the place where we stayed. After killing the majority of family members, Besim was killed. Near the basement door where we were sheltered Adam falls trying to protect us. Alive were only me and Kushtrim. I saw Adem when got the bullet, and he has fallen on pillars near the stairs of the house, and there was killed. Hisson Kushtrim his (then 13 years old), after his fall, took automatic machine gun and went at other position in the yard, because Serbian police had already been entering in some warehouse that we had. Confronting them, Kushtrim has fallen between two houses with machine gun in hand. When there was no longer alive, I began to go to their bodies touching and calling each of them, but no one was left alive. I call them on the name, but no one responded. All this was taking place at the end of the war, on the third day of the attack, in the morning ".[3]
From the fierce fighting that took place three days with Serbian military and police forces, along with KLA commander Adem Jashari’s family in his honor fell heroically in defense of the threshold of the house, homeland and nation 20 members, 10 of them children.
Therefore, the phenomenon of Adem Jashari, would not have this dimension if will not be fulfilled with incarnation of his family, if he will not be a heroic part of Prekazi, if he will not had birthday on the most important Albanian day, if embrace sacrifice was not on day of birth. Therefore the figure of Adem Jashari with events five, six and seven March integral to the challenges of the time were age difference, change of life etc..
Therefore the figure of Adem Jashari together with events of 5, 6 and 7 March constitute the entire challenges that fore time were epoch change, change of life etc.
Rare and unique are these figures and not coincidentally Adem Jashari said in one point “We didn’t not take the arms to hand down to the enemy, but to fight to the last bullet”. It resembles Anteon, Achilles to fight the evil to self-sacrifice. More meaningful 5, 6 and 7 of March and Adem Jashari made the creation of a new philosophy in Albanians mentality, for their lives and prospects.In this context, the philosophy of action in the event derives in consensual practical aspects of statehood and free life.
Battle of 5th, 6th and 7th March in Prekaz, from the distance of scientific and historical perspective takes these portraits:
• Closes a painful chapter of Kosovo Albanians, and begins a new stage;
• Returns almost despiseddignity;
• More than ever clarifies the position of Albanians in relation to Serbia;
• Creates more favorable political and diplomatic circumstances to Kosovo in the Balkans, Europe and USA;
• Consistency maintains of actions adapting them circumstances in Kosovo, and
• Marks the most significant historical events of the twentieth century, the end of Serbian regime.
By this phrase that is more than a chorus, we will walk by portraying the image of Jashari family that is emblematic and general figure of the Albanian national history. From this reflection Jasharis emblematic present a new history of Kosovo, represent the mind, the art of war and the bright future of Kosovo.