Vërrini Conflict

Vërrini Conflict
Part of the Kosovo War
The District of Prizren
Date 7 July 1998 - 11 June 1999(11 Months and 4 Days) Location Territory of Vërrin, District of Prizren Result Serb Troops retreat from Prizren on 11 June 1999
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army NATO	FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Ekrem Rexha Agim Shala † Zafir Berisha Xhevat Berisha † Selajdin Berisha † Xhemshit Krasniqi Remzi Ademaj-Petriti † Samedin Xhezairi-Hoxha (WIA) Wesley Clark	Božidar Delić Gradimir Zekavica(1998) Miloš Vojnović(1999) Milan Đuričić
Units involved
125th Brigade	549th Motorized Brigade Prizren Serbian police Paramilitary Forces
Strength
630 Soldiers	Unknown
Casualties and losses
27 killed 3 Soldiers wounded 67 Civilians killed	13-20 Soldiers killed(6 by NATO) 7 Soldiers wounded 6 Policemen killed 3 Policemen wounded 1 Military Jeep destroyed

The Vërrini Conflict (Albanian: Konflikti i Vërrinit) was a conflict during the Kosovo War between the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The first clash between the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in the Vërrini Region was on July 7, 1998, where Serb forces entered a KLA controlled Zone. The Conflict lasted till June 11, 1999, when Serb forces had to leave Prizren.

Background

During the 1980s and 1990s, Prizren witnessed frequent protests(1981 protests in Kosovo). On July 23, 1993, Albanian rebels launched coordinated attacks on Serbian police stations across Kosovo. In Prizren, the assault was led by Zafir Berisha.

In January 1997, the 125th Brigade (Unit Petriti) was established. On February 28, 1998, full-scale war broke out between the KLA and Serbian forces in the Drenica region. That same day, many members of Unit Petriti, including Xhevat Berisha, were arrested.

On July 7, 1998, the war also reached the Vërrini region, marking the beginning of intense clashes in the area.

Clashes in July 1998

On July 7, 1998, an attempted ambush was carried out by Serbian police forces, including Prizren’s police chief Shekić, against a unit of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA, Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Kosovës, UÇK). The ambush was unsuccessful, and shortly after, on July 16, Serbian forces launched an offensive against KLA positions in the Vrrini region of the Prizren municipality.

The Battle of Verri, fought on July 16, 1998, was one of the first direct engagements between the KLA and Serbian forces in the Prizren area during the Kosovo War. The Vrrini region had been declared a liberated zone by the KLA, prompting a large-scale Serbian military operation. According to KLA sources, after several hours of fighting, Serbian forces were repelled and suffered significant losses.

The engagement began at approximately 13:30, when Serbian forces attempted to advance from the Tusus neighborhood toward the villages of Leskovec, Lubiqevë, and Hoçë e Qytetit. KLA fighters launched counterattacks, and intense close-quarters combat took place, with distances as short as 100 meters. Despite being outgunned, KLA units reportedly held their positions.

In the Billushë sector, Serbian artillery bombarded KLA positions to prevent reinforcements. However, KLA fighters, using a tactical flanking maneuver, carried out a surprise counterattack, forcing Serbian troops to retreat. KLA commanders Zafir Berisha, Remzi Ademaj-Petriti, and Xhevat Berisha were involved in leading the defense.

According to KLA reports, the engagement lasted approximately 3 hours and 40 minutes, and no casualties were recorded on their side, while Serbian forces allegedly suffered heavy losses. Following the battle, local villagers reportedly gathered to celebrate the victory.

On July 17, 1998, a group of journalists visited the area to document the aftermath of the battle. The confrontation in Verri became a significant event in the KLA’s military operations in 1998–1999, leading to further clashes in the region.

On July 28, 1998, a KLA Smuggling Unit of the 125th Brigade in the Command of Xhemshit Krasniqi was Ambushed in Opoja (near the Vërrini Region). Buçe Ambush

Yugoslav September Offenisve

The Yugoslav September Offensive was one of the most significant military engagements in the Prizren District during the Kosovo War. From September 1 to 7, 1998, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) fought against the Serbian police (Milicija) and paramilitary units.

Yugoslav September Offensive
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 1–7 September 1998 Location Territory of Vërrin, District of Prizren Result KLA victory Territorial changes KLA retains control of the Vërrini Region
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army	FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Ekrem Rexha Agim Shala † Zafir Berisha Xhevat Berisha † Selajdin Berisha †	Gradimir Zekavica Milan Đuričić
Units involved
125th Brigade	Serbian police Paramilitary Forces
Strength
630 Soldiers	Unknown KLA Claim: 4‘000 Policemen and Paramilitary soldiers
Casualties and losses
27 killed 42 Civilians killed	3 Policemen wounded

On the night of August 31, 1998, KLA intelligence reported large movements of Yugoslav forces around KLA-controlled territories near Prizren. Expecting an attack, the 125th Brigade was placed on high alert. Key KLA commanders, including Ekrem Rexha-Drini, Salajdin Berisha, and Xhevat Berisha, coordinated defensive positions in anticipation of an assault.

The Vërrini region was strategically important for the KLA, as it was one of the last remaining areas under their control in the Prizren District. The Yugoslav forces, aimed to eliminate these positions. Among them were Serbian paramilitaries and foreign mercenaries, including Russian fighters, according to KLA sources.

At 7:00 AM on September 1, 1998, the Yugoslav forces launched their offensive with heavy artillery bombardments and infantry assaults on KLA positions in the villages of Lez, Jeshkovë, Hoça e Qytetit, Billushë, Poslishta, Lez, and Kustendil. In Lez, fierce fighting erupted as Yugoslav forces attempted to breach KLA defenses. The 1st Battalion, led by Xhevat Berisha and Salajdin Berisha, reinforced positions in Cyileni, where Yugoslav advances were detected. The 2nd Battalion faced continuous artillery shelling, while infantry units attempted to break through KLA positions. By 5:00 PM, after hours of intense combat, Yugoslav forces managed to break KLA lines in Lez and advance into the village.

During the clashes, 27 KLA fighters were killed, including Commanders: Selajdin Berisha, Xhevat Berisha and Agim Shala.

On September 2, heavy fighting shifted to Jeshkovë, where the KLA 125th Brigade Headquarters was located. Yugoslav forces aimed to seize the headquarters, leading to some of the most intense battles of the offensive.

Throughout the following days, Yugoslav forces bombarded Kushnin, Arbëri, Hoça e Qytetit, Billushë, and Poslisht, causing civilian casualties. Among those killed were: Arlind A. Kryeziu (5-year-old child), Kadishe Berisha, Hatë Shala, Bajram Thaçi and Skender Memedaj. Also a older Civilian Nesim Krasniqi was found dead with a weapon in his hand after he tried to protect his Family from Serb forces.

Despite being outnumbered and facing heavy artillery, KLA forces managed to maintain control over parts of Jeshkovë and surrounding areas. However, Yugoslav troops made territorial gains, especially in Lez and nearby villages.

Serbian Police Center in Prishtina confirmed that two Serbian Police officers and one Policemen, Miroslav Rakonjac and Miroljub Ristić, were wounded. However, independent sources suggest that the battle was part of a broader Yugoslav effort to eliminate KLA strongholds in Kosovo.

Despite the losses, the battle strengthened the KLA resistance in the Prizren region. Surviving KLA fighters continued their struggle, and Vërrini remained contested until NATO intervention in 1999. Today, the battle is remembered for the determination of KLA fighters, who fought against a numerically and technologically superior force. Many of those who fell are honored as martyrs of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Clashes in April 1999

Clashes in April 1999
Part of the Kosovo War
Date April 1999 Location Vërrin, District of Prizren Result KLA victory
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army	FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Zafir Berisha Samedin Xhezairi	Božidar Delić
Units involved
125th Brigade	549th Motorized Brigade Prizren Paramiltaty Forces Police of Serbia
Strength
40-54 Soldiers	unknown
Casualties and losses
None 5 Civilians killed	3 Soldiers killed 4 Policemen killed 1 Military Jeep destroyed

Yugoslav Offensive on Tusuz

The Yugoslav Offensive on Tusuz was a military engagement that took place on 16–17 May 1999 between the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, including the Intervention Platoon of the 549th Motorized Prizren Brigade. This battle was part of the larger Kosovo War and the Vërrini Conflicts.

Yugoslav Offensive on Tusuz
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 16-17 May 1999 Location Vërrin, District of Prizren Result KLA Victory Serb Troops failed the Offensive and retread KLA Claims to have seized many weapons
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army	FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Zafir Berisha Samedin Xhezairi	Božidar Delić
Units involved
125th Brigade	549th Motorized Brigade Prizren 1st Division (Regular Soldiers) 2nd Division (Regular Soldiers) 3rd Division (Serbian Volunteers) 4th Division (Russian Volunteers)
Strength
54 Soldiers	Unknown
Casualties and losses
2 Soldiers wounded 3 Civilians killed	3 Soldiers killed 7 Soldiers wounded

In mid-April 1999, the Yugoslav Army formed an Intervention Platoon within the 1/1 Combat Group of the 549th Motorized Prizren Brigade. This unit included two divisions of regular Yugoslav soldiers, a division of Serbian volunteers, and a division of Russian volunteers. It was stationed in Planeja and received specialized training in reconnaissance by Petar Stapar-Cica, explosives, close-quarters combat, and sniper operations. The unit also had superior protective equipment, including new bulletproof vests and helmets.

On 16 May 1999, the Intervention Platoon was ordered to conduct a reconnaissance mission in the Tusuz neighborhood of Prizren and the nearby village of Leskovec, working alongside Yugoslav military police and special units (PJP). Their goal was to locate and eliminate KLA forces operating in the area.

In Tusuz, Commanders Zafir Berisha and Samedin Xhezairi-Hoxha were stationed with a total of 54 KLA soldiers.

As the Yugoslav forces advanced, they were ambushed in a forested area near Tusuz with dense vegetation. The KLA fighters launched a heavy gunfire attack, followed by sniper fire, indicating their strategic positioning and strong armament. The Yugoslav forces attempted to capture KLA fighters but failed due to the enemy’s coordinated maneuvering. On this day, KLA soldier Sadik Gashi was seriously wounded in the neck.

Throughout the night of 16–17 May, both sides exchanged intense fire, including the use of grenades and mortars. On 17 May, another KLA soldier, Arben Kryeziu, was wounded by grenade shrapnel. The KLA forces demonstrated a different combat style, leading the Yugoslav soldiers to suspect they were facing foreign Mujahedeen fighters.

By the morning of 17 May, the Yugoslav unit was exhausted. The KLA launched a counteroffensive, encircling and overwhelming parts of the Yugoslav formation. They used the element of surprise and superior positioning to inflict heavy casualties. In the final assault, the Intervention Platoon suffered significant losses, including the deaths of three volunteers: • Petar Stapar-Cica (Croatia) • Borislav Miloradovic (Serbia) • Milivoje Bajic (Montenegro)

Several Yugoslav soldiers, including Lieutenant Vucko, Knele, Duli, Nino, Gigi, Urke, and Veselin, were wounded.

On 18 May 1999, the KLA claimed to have secured the battlefield and collected a significant amount of weapons and equipment left behind by the Yugoslav forces.

The Yugoslav Offensive on Tusuz was a strategic victory for the KLA, as they successfully repelled a well-trained and heavily armed Yugoslav unit. The battle highlighted the effectiveness of KLA guerrilla tactics, which played a key role in resisting Yugoslav military operations in Kosovo.

Tusuz ambush

The Tusuz ambush (Albanian: Prita në Tusuz) was fought during the Kosovo War between the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) and the Yugoslav Police (Milicija).

Tusuz ambush
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 26 May 1999 Location Vërrin, District of Prizren Result KLA Victory
Belligerents
Kosovo Liberation Army	Serbian police
Commanders and leaders
Zafir Berisha Samedin Xhezairi-Hoxha	Milan Đuričić Miloš Vojnović
Units involved
125th Brigade	Serbian police
Strength
Unknown	2 Policemen
Casualties and losses
None	2 Policemen Killed

Tusuz massacre

On 26 May 1999, Serbian forces committed a massacre in the ethnic Albanian neighborhood of Tusuz, near Prizren, killing 27 civilians. It followed the execution of brothers Enes and Fatmir Muharremi a week earlier in the neighborhood of Bilbildere. On 17 May, KLA forces had killed 3 Serbian soldiers following a clash with Yugoslav forces in Tusuz.