The 24 Albanians killed by Serbian-Yugoslav forces in the Likoshane massacre, on February 28, 1998, were commemorated on the 28th anniversary of this event, which is considered to mark the beginning of the armed war in Kosovo and the historical turning point towards liberation.
The survivor, Xhevdet Ahmeti, recounted to Kosovapress the moments of that day, emphasizing that the iron siege by Slobodan Milosevic’s forces and the attack on the Ahmeti family ended with the mass execution of the men of the house.
Xhevdet himself had escaped because he had not fired into the house.
“This day of February 28, 1998, I remember like it was today. That day, by chance, I was not at home, I was in Pristina, and upon returning to Drenas, I learned from my uncle Remzi Dervishi that there had been shooting between the KLA forces and the Serbian police in Likoshane. That night, we stayed together with my uncle until late on the Kamenica mountain, and in the evening we returned with him and Bujar. The next morning we returned to the same positions and from there we could see that there was an iron fence around all the entrances and exits of the village of Likoshane, but the special concentration was on the Ahmeti family”-
When he arrived in Likoshane and entered the house, he realized that it had become the target of the attack by the Serbian forces
“Upon entering the family, I realized that the men of our family were not at home, they had been taken. While I was searching around the house, I noticed a lot of blood stains. I asked the family members what had happened, they informed me that there had been an attack here sometime before 12 o’clock, exactly where we are now. And a KLA soldier was wounded, our family members, my father Ahmeti and uncle Ganiu sheltered the wounded man, who had already died, Rexhep Rexhep. Then large Serbian police forces attacked with helicopters, armored cars, demolished the doors, entered and took all the family members out, searched all the objects in the house and other auxiliary objects around. They mistreated them in the presence of the family members, while when they heard about the wounded man, who had already died, they took all the men out and executed them. Their execution took place exactly at this place where the tombstone was erected”- said Ahmeti.
He painfully tells who was killed from his closest family members.
“That means that day my father Ahmeti, uncle Gani, another uncle Elmiu, uncle Hamza’s son, my three brothers Dritoni, Naimi and Shemsiu, and uncle Elmi’s three sons, Bastriu and Elhamiu were killed. That day, a guest in our family, Behram Fazliu, was also shot… 10 members of the Ahmeti family were killed, the guest Behram Fazliu, in the Gjeli family Muhamet and Naser Gjeli were killed, and others were also killed, the brothers Sejdiu, Rexhepi, in the Nebihu family. That day, 24 Albanians were killed”-
Fevzi Rama also comes to pay respects to his family members, victims of Likoshan and Çireiz, every February 28. He says that from this date and this country a new era began for Kosovo.
Rama says that his neighborhood, Rama, although small, has lost three people during the war, emphasizing that this part of Kosovo is filled with the graves of martyrs and martyrs.
Among those who gave two brothers, even at a young age, for the freedom of Kosovo is Raif Kamberi, who also comes every year to honor the fallen of Likoshan and Çirez.
The Likoshan and Çirez massacre is considered one of the events that marked the open beginning of the war in Kosovo, while February 28, 1998 continues to be remembered as a day of pain and pride for the families of the fallen, but also for all Albanians in Kosovo and wherever they live.
