The Attack at Prepolac (Serbian: Напад на Преполац), was a violent incident carried out by the Albanian National Army against the police of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia at the Prepolac checkpoint, located in the municipality of Kuršumlija, on November 21, 1999. The attack occurred during the heightened tensions following the Kosovo War and is considered one of the first major incidents in the Ground Safety Zone (GSZ) near the Kosovo border.
| Attack at Prepolac | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of The aftermath of the Kosovo War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
| [REDACTED] Albanian National Army |
 Federal Republic of Yugoslavia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| [REDACTED] Unknown |
Živorad Pantović † Jovica Janicijević † | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| [REDACTED] Unknown |
.svg){kind=small} Serbian police | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| [REDACTED] Unknown |
Unknown | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| [REDACTED] none |
3 killed 6 wounded | ||||||
Background
The Ground Safety Zone was established as a buffer area between the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY) and Kosovo following the Kosovo War. It was meant to reduce hostilities in the region but became a hotbed for insurgent activities. Armed Albanian groups, including those operating from the municipality of Podujevo in Kosovo, such as the Albanian National Army, frequently attacked Yugoslav police forces stationed near the border. The Prepolac checkpoint, located near the regional road between Kuršumlijska Banja and Podujevo, was a strategic post for monitoring the border area.
Attack
In the early hours of November 21, 1999, armed Albanian militants equipped with automatic weapons, launched an attack on the Prepolac checkpoint, near the village of Merdare. Heavily outnumbered, the Yugoslav police forces stationed there were forced to retreat. During their retreat, a police vehicle struck a tank mine that had been laid on the road by the Albanian militants. The explosion destroyed the vehicle and resulted in significant casualties among the officers. Živorad Pantović and Jovica Janicijević died immediately on the spot, while Milenko Strugar succumbed to his injuries two days later at the Military Medical Academy (VMA) in Belgrade. Six other also police officers sustained severe injuries.
Aftermath
The attack highlighted the fragile security situation in the Ground Safety Zone and the growing threat posed by insurgent groups operating along the Kosovo border. In response, the Yugoslav government reinforced its presence in the area, while the international community expressed concern over the continued violence in the region.
References
- ^ "Albanci proteruju Srbe iz Kuršumlije". www.novinar.de. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- Michael J. Boyle (2014). Violence After War: Explaining Instability in Post-Conflict States. JHU Press. pp. 190–191. ISBN 9781421412573.
- ^ "OHR RTRS News Summary, 21 November 1999 – Office of the High Representative". Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ Review of International Affairs. Federation of Yugoslav Journalists. 2000. p. 75.
- ^ "U.S. Department of State, Human Rights Reports for 1999". 1997-2001.state.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-22.
- ^ B92. "Policajac preminuo od posledica eksplozije na putu Prepolac - Kursumlija". B92.net (in Serbian). Retrieved 2025-01-22.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - Watch (Organization), Human Rights (2001). Landmine Monitor Report 2001: Toward a Mine-free World. Human Rights Watch. ISBN 978-1-56432-262-3.
- Yugoslavia (1999-11-26). "Letter dated 25 November 1999 from the Chargé d'affaires a.i. of the Permanent Mission of Yugoslavia to the United Nations addressed to the President of the Security Council" (in Russian).
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