Offensive on Kijevo (also known as Siege of Kijevo) was an military operation during The Kosovo War conduct by Yugoslav Troops and Special Operations Unit led by warlord Milorad Ulemek ''Legija''.[3] The goal was to connect to the highway. Various clashes happened and Yugoslav Troops succeeded in driving out KLA from areas around Kijevo and Inside of it.[4][5][6]
| Siege of Kijevo | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Kosovo War | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 FR Yugoslavia |
 Kosovo Liberation Army | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Milorad Ulemek |
unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
Unknown | |||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
|
2 Mi-24 Attack Helicopters[2] |
Unknown | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| None | Unknown | ||||||||
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KLA attack on Kijevo
editThe KLA attacked village of Kijevo somewhere between 15-17th May 1998,this siege was important and one of the more decisive battles of the war.This village would give control to various points such as the Highway which was 50 km from Priština,and the village was an good stronghold for KLA.Heavy fighting started as KLA captured few houses and kept fighting the local police in the area.Fighting between Police and the KLA lasted for a long time,as during the starting days of June the Yugoslav Army was informed about the battle as they joined in and conducted an Offensive on Highway (which was currently controlled by the KLA) Yugoslav forces successfully re-took the highway (After 15+ days of fighting) and then called for JSO as reinforcement to come and re-take Kijevo under Serbian Control.[7]
Yugoslav Offensive on Kijevo
editJSO arrived a little late,but arrived with Helicopters and machine guns,from the sky shooting and raiding KLA positions around the village.[8][9] Civilians by the time had fled the village.JSO kept shooting at KLA positions from many sides,KLA troops not having time to react just shot at the helicopters flying above them,but this fight didn't last for long,not even an day,as KLA lost significant area that could've been really useful for the Guerilla Warfare.[10][11] The militiants withdrew from the area as JSO cleared the village and appointed Serb control over it.[7] Later on Kijevo was kept by Yugoslav forces until end of the war.
References
edit- ^ "Yugoslav Forces crush the KLA attempt to take Kijevo". 3 July 1998.
- ^ "OPERACIJE KOJE SE KRIJU OD JAVNOSTI: Sve tajne akcije CRVENIH BERETKI".
- ^ "JSO-Helihopterski desant KiM na selo Kijevo 1998.god". YouTube. February 2018.
- ^ "Serb forces said to lift siege of Kijevo - Albania | ReliefWeb". 3 July 1998.
- ^ "Serbian Forces Break Separatists' Siege of Town in Kosovo". Los Angeles Times. 4 July 1998.
- ^ https://www.letemps.ch/monde/forces-serbes-relancent-loffensive-contre-guerilleros-albanais
- ^ a b "Serbs regain control of key Kosovo site".
- ^ "Serbian tanks crush siege by guerrillas from Kosovo". 3 July 1998.
- ^ "JSO-Helihopterski desant KiM na selo Kijevo 1998.god". YouTube. February 2018.
- ^ "Kosovo: Serb Forces Advance on Ethnic Albanian Rebels Update (2)". YouTube. 16 November 2016.
- ^ "Conflict with Kosovo separatist supporters Kijevo, May 17 1998". YouTube. 10 December 2015.