# Defense of Smolica

The Defense of Smolica (April 6 – August 2, 1998) was a key battle of the Kosovo War, where the KLA resisted repeated Serbian assaults. Despite heavy shelling and destruction, Smolica remained a stronghold and supply hub for the Dukagjin region.

## Background

In 1997, Agron Rama began mobilizing the village of Smolica, marking the start of KLA activities in the region. By early 1998, the first cells of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) were formed in Smolica under Rama's leadership. By April 6, 1998, the KLA openly engaged in fighting, establishing Smolica as a key resistance point in Kosovo. The village became a major base for KLA operations, with significant contributions from local fighters, including men, women, and children, supporting the cause in various ways.Smolica had a key checkpoint with only 4 Rebels guarding it which repelled Serb attacks. The village of Smolica was known to be very traditional and patriotic, and during the war, no man in Smolica wasn't in the KLA the desperation to join the liberation army was so high among many men that some would beg on their knees to be given weapons to fight the Serbs.
Smolica also held strategic importance as a centre for weapons supply, providing arms to KLA units across the region. It was the first village in the Gjakova District to join the KLA, marking a key moment in the expanding war.

## Events

The defense of Smolica began on April 6, 1998, with a frontal assault by Serbian forces, including the Yugoslav Army, Serbian Police, and paramilitary groups. Despite the heavy bombardment, the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) managed to push the Serbian forces back, expanding their control from the village of Nec all the way up to Junik, marking a significant territorial gain for the KLA. Between April and August 1998, Smolica faced relentless shelling, with an estimated 600–700 shells hitting the village daily. Despite these continuous attacks, Smolica remained under KLA control and served as a key base for their resistance efforts throughout the war. The KLA forces in the region included Brigade 134 and Bedri Shala’s unit.
On May 8, 1998, the KLA ambushed a column of Serbian police cars with mortar fire and automatic automatic rifles and machine gun fire., severely wounding four officers: Cedomir Bozovic, Zoran Cmiljanic, Srecko Filipovic, and Srdjan Markovic. In May 1998, a separate unit consisting of only foreign Mujahideen was stationed in Smolica under the command of Alija Rabic. However, the Mujahideen were crushed by Serbian forces in May 1998, suffering significant casualties. The surviving Mujahideen fighters were forced to flee to Albania, but the KLA remained active in the region and continued its resistance efforts. Commander Naim Maloku however claimed that they had no need for the help of the Mujahideen nor help from Islamist Wahhabism to rebuild Kosovo.
On May 25, 1998, the situation remained extremely tense as Serbian forces shelled the villages of Morina, Ponoshec, Popoc, and Smolica. The attack damaged several homes, including those of Dinë Bajrami, Rexhep Selimi, Ismet Alushi, Hasan Hyseri, Hajdar Avdyli, Halil Mehmeti, Ibrahim, Musli and Musa Kurti, Sahit Balia, Zenel Ahmeti, Alush Abazi, and Hamdi Nura. Conditions in the town continued to deteriorate, with widespread arrests and mistreatment. Meanwhile, women and children from the targeted villages sought refuge in the town.
On the 9th of June,1998, convoys of Serb forces tried to enter the KLA stronghold of Smolica, but the KLA repelled the Serbs, destroying 2 armoured vehicles and killing 3 Serbian soldiers in the process.
On June 14, 1998, from 9:00 p.m. onwards, Serbian military forces stationed in Kodra e Çabratit, Babaj i Bokës, Koranica, and Pllaniku i Ponoshecit bombarded the villages of Smolica, Neca, Morina, Popoc, and surrounding areas all in the zone of Smolica using cannons and other heavy weaponry. From 8:00 a.m. until late evening, police blocked all roads leading to Brekoc. Meanwhile, priest Marjan Lorenci was prevented from holding mass in Ramoc’s chapel, and priest Ndue Kajtazi was barred from attending a funeral in Vogova.
On June 19, 1998, Serbian forces launched an airstrike that killed 10-year-old Florian Kurti. In retaliation, the KLA initiated a large offensive, which resulted in the death of 17-year-old Burim Hamza and the destruction of a Serbian tank by an anti-tank mine. In July 1998, Smolica and Junik officially joined the Dukagjin operational zone, further solidifying their strategic importance for the KLA.
On the 25,June,1998, AP news reported a 2nd day straight of frequent shelling of Smolica.The days of shelling had halted the flow of refugees from the province over the last three days but the next day 22 refugees crossed through Smolica to Morina's refugee camp The women and children were being taken to safety in Bajram Curri (town), Albania.But most of the men accompanying them were to return to Kosovo after seeing their families across the border who met with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees who found them a place to stay.AP also reported that a convoy of up to twenty vehicles was seen close speeding along the main supply route in the region - the road from Gjakova to Decani.A KLA militant interviewed said told the associated press; "They attacked us, and they were shooting at us from all directions. They were even shooting at us from helicopter. They deployed a great number of forces in the region. And those that we've seen were not regular army but paramilitary forces because they were older and they had long beards."
On 11,June,1998, it was reported that the rebels of smolica went from villagers with a few old weapons smuggled from Albania along with some weapons the villagers used to have themselves before the conflict to highly armed men with Anti-Tank weapons,propelled grenades,and Anti-aircraft weapons. The KLA became so strong that Serb conscripts became afraid to raid Smolica that they began to defect, leaving military clothes and weapons behind which were taken by the KLA .The new firepower has thwarted the recent Serbian drive against rebel enclave, left the army and the police reeling from mounting casualties, and allowed the ethnic Albanian separatists to inch forward towards the key town of Gjakova.
By late July and into August 1998, Serbian forces managed to burn down the KLA base in Smolica, which had been located in a mosque.
Throughout the conflict, the KLA targeted Albanians they considered traitors, sending them to Smolica, where they were tortured and executed. Before the defense of Smolica began, Ramush Haradinaj gathered a force of 2,000–3,000 KLA fighters in the village, preparing them for the battles ahead in the Dukagjin region. These forces were later dispersed across the area to strengthen the KLA’s military efforts against Serbian forces.

## Aftermath

After several months of intense fighting, Smolica remained under KLA control until August 2, 1998. Despite multiple Serbian attempts to capture the village, Smolica's defenders, including up to 400 KLA fighters, managed to hold their ground. The village was eventually destroyed by Serbian forces, but its role as a resistance stronghold was pivotal in the Kosovo War. The village also contributed to the supply chain, providing weapons to the KLA forces in Gllogjan, and played a significant role in the military strategy of the Dukagjin zone. On July 18, 1998, the same foreign Mujahideen unit with foreign fighters which was pushed out of Smolica on May and sent to Albania attempted to break the through the border together with the Kosovo Liberation Army as part of the July 18, 1998, Albanian–Yugoslav border clashes but failed and Alija Rabic was killed in action together with 18 out of his 50 jihadists in his unit as well as 4 fighters of the Kosovo Liberation Army
on March,6,1999, a Serbian police vehicle was blown up by a landmine placed by the Kosovo Liberation Army in between Smolica and Stubell.Serb sources reported 2 deaths of 6 injuries from their police officers during the incident.
In July 1999, the European Commission conducted a "Kosovo Damage Assessment Field Survey Report" and in Smolica, all 120 assessed houses were damaged, with the majority falling into the categories requiring the most extensive repairs, and the total allocated budget was 1,050,00 Euros to the homes of Smolica.
In 2024, the former commander of the Dukagjini operational zone and president of the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo party paid tribute to the fallen freedom fighters in Smolica and Grabanica by placing flowers and giving a speech at the Smolica UÇK memorial. He honoured their sacrifices and emphasized the importance of their bravery in Kosovo's fight for independence. His actions reflected deep respect for those who gave their lives for the nation’s freedom. The memorial was constructed at the traditional Kulla mosque with the funding of Ramush Haradinaj as he planned to do in 2001 but only did in 2023, and the mosque was left burnt down until then for 25 years.