Shortly after midnight on September 24, the Kosova Police launched the first response force towards the bridge in the village of Banjska in Zveçan. This resulted in the killing and wounding of police officers.

Armed to the teeth, Serbian criminals had entered the territory of Kosovo.

September 24 marks one of the most difficult dates for the history of Kosovo. The Kosova Police faced a terrorist attack.

The 50-year-old sergeant from Vushtrria, Afrim Bunjaku, was killed in the attack. The father of three children, the newest hero of the state of Kosovo, was shot from two different directions near this bridge, and as a result of the shooting, two other police officers were wounded.

In the early hours of the morning, Prime Minister Albin Kurti announced that the statehood of the country is being attacked in Banjska of Zveçan. He also announced the killing of Sergeant Afrim Bunjaku and the wounding of two other police officers around 03:00 in the morning.

The shots were heard even after dawn, the attack was not ending there.

Serbian terrorists in military clothing were stationed in Banjska Monastery and around it. This group was led by the chief terrorist Millan Radojicic, designated by the United States of America, and wanted by the local institutions as being involved in murders.

The confrontations with the Kosova Police continued throughout the day of September 24, where the police officer Alban Rashiti was wounded and Çlirim Shaqiri, Mirsad Kryeziu, Sedat Dushi were injured. While the special forces shot dead three Serbs, only in the late hours of Sunday the monastery was taken under control, while the vast majority of the terrorist group escaped through the mountain roads to the Republic of Serbia.

The Bunjaku family opened their doors in the morning for condolences.

Gani Bunjaku, uncle of Afrim Bunjaku

“Pride is to protect every inch of our country that we have won over time and to protect it at all costs, with every drop of our blood to protect it… I have always had contacts every time he has gone, because here is my home. Every time I talked to him, he said ‘I feel proud that I am going there and serving my country’. Every time he went willingly, it proved that even God wanted them to reward him with the title of hero of the nation”, he said.

From the house of the hero Afrim Bunjaku, Prime Minister Albin Kurti declared that in the battle for order and law, the independent Republic of Kosovo will prevail.

“The grief is deep, the pain is great, but the pride is also extraordinary for the courage and sacrifice of Afrim. In the battle of Kosovo for order, law and constitutionality, for security and peace, for rights and freedom for all without distinction against criminals and terrorists supported politically, financially, logistically by Serbia, the independent Republic of Kosovo will triumf”, said Kurti.

The international community also reacted to this attack; however, the president of Serbia, Aleksandar Vucic, said that the attack in Banjska was carried out by a group of “desperate local Serbs”.

Afrim Bunjaku was buried with high state honors in the cemetery of the village of Samadrexhe in Vushtrri, where family members, citizens, state leaders, members of the government cabinet, MPs and foreign ambassadors participated.

“Afrimi is the personification of the patriot and the professional, who from 2001 wore the uniform of the Kosova Police, until the heroic fall in the line of duty, proved his devotion to the Republic. His confrontation with Serbian-led terrorists was his last battle, but not his end. From today, Afrim is the hero of every Albanian, of every citizen who loves the Republic of Kosovo”, said President Vjosa Osmani at Afrim Bunjaku’s funeral.

September 25 was declared a day of mourning for Kosovo.

Armored vehicles, German KFOR-like cars, grenade launchers, radio receivers, maps and heavy artillery, but also nationalist symbols were used by the Serbs.

A day after the end of the operation, the police exposed what they found in Banjska.

“Maps and plans were found in the objects inside and in the vehicles, which show the long, well-thought-out and coordinated organization. These maps and documents are evidence that here we are not dealing simply with local groups, but with a terrorist organization that has been led and organized by Belgrade. It is also considered by local and foreign experts that this amount of armament, this organization and these preparations need at least several months. So it has nothing to do with a quick organization”, stated Xhelal Sveçla, Minister of Internal Affairs.

“The other suspected persons, who based on the footage provided could be about thirty people, have managed to leave on foot from the spaces in and around the Banjska Monastery, leaving behind their vehicles which, during the examination of the scene, turned out to be 24 vehicles and one armored vehicle as well as two four-wheel motors. Inside the vehicles there was a large amount of weapons of different calibers, launchers and dozens of uniforms, which it is suspected that the armed persons had removed in order to more easily infiltrate among the civilians”, said Gazmend Hoxha, director of the Kosova Police.

Local institutions have asked international allies several times to put pressure on Serbia to hand over the criminals of Banjska. Twice in a row through the Ministry of Justice, the institutions have addressed Serbia with the request for providing evidence. Serbia has refused, and has even demanded that the local authorities hand over the evidence that Kosovo has about the attack in Banjska.

At the beginning of this month, almost a year later, the Special Prosecution filed an indictment against 45 people for the attack in Banjska. Among the main accused is Millan Radojicic, as the leader of the group. According to the indictment provided by KosovaPress, they have committed the criminal offense of “Committing a terrorist offense” and the criminal offense of “Serious offenses against the constitutional order and security of the Republic of Kosovo”. Some of them are also accused of financing the group, money laundering.

On the one year anniversary of the attack in Banjska, the Diocese of Rashka and Prizren has announced that the Monastery in Banjska will be closed to visitors for three days.