# LANÇ counter-offensive in Albania (1944)

The LANÇ counter-offensive in Albania during 1944 was a large-scale counter-offensive organized by the National Liberation Movement of Albania with the goal of liberating Albania from German occupation and recapture their lands lost during the German offensive in the winter of 1943-44, aswell as defeat the nationalist Balli Kombëtar.

## Background

During the winter of 1943 and 1944, the Wehrmacht together with Balli Kombëtar carried out an offensive against the communist Albanian partisans. The Germans led several successful operations against LANÇ forces capturing most of Albania.
The Ballists also ambushed members of the British SOE, killing lieutenant Arthur Nicholls and many other British soldiers. Another account suggests that the event took place later, in January 1944.
On 29 May 1944, the National Liberation Front held the Congress of Përmet, which chose an Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation to act as Albania's administration and legislature.

## Counter-offensive

During mid-June 1944, LANÇ forces commanded by Enver Hoxha and Mehmet Shehu mounted a counter-offensive against the German-Ballist forces.
The first operation that the communists undertook was against the nationalist Balli Kombëtar in Southern Albania during Summer 1994 which ultimately led to the Albanian partisans capturing the region. During this operation the LANÇ forces liberated Vlorë after a short-battle with the German forces.
Scattered Ballist forces regrouped in Pezë, Tirana where they gathered reinforcements before retreating towards Northern Albania and Kosovo, leading to clashes breaking out in during 21-23 September Kukës.
In July 1944 German forces occupied Peshkopi, however later that month they were kicked out by communist. Fighting went on to continue in the Dibër region which lasted until early September which ultimately led to the LANÇ troops capturing the region. During the same time, communist forces ambushed a group of German troops near the town of Librazhd, killing 200 men and capturing the town.
On 15 October 1944, LANÇ forces, together with the Yugoslav Partisans and Bulgaria, mounted an Operation in Kosovo against the German army, Ballists and the Government of National Salvation. The operation lasted until 22 November, with the communist Albanians mounting an offensive against the Ballists in the Dukagjin region, attacking their forces in the Gjakova highlands. The operation was an allied success and led to the allies capturing Kosovo.
On 23 October, during the Operation, 131 LANÇ soldiers were captured and executed by the SS Skanderbeg.
After the defeat in Kosovo, most Balli Kombëtar forces dissolved with its main leaders, Mit'hat Frashëri and Ali Këlcyra fleeing Albania.
The final engagements of the counter-offensive occurred during the month of November. On 17 November 1944, after a 19-day battle which started on 28 October, LANÇ liberated Tirana from the Germans, killing 2000 Nazi troops and capturing all of Central Albania. Afterwards, communist troops also liberated Krujë. The final city under German occupation was Shkodër which was liberated by LANÇ forces on 29 November 1944, marking the end of the German occupation of Albania

## Aftermath

After the war, anti-communist forces organized the Committee of the Mountains, which led anti-communist movements in the northern regions of Albania. In 1945-1946, two major anti-communist uprisings took place in Postribë and Koplik, but both failed. The communist regime created the "Forcat e Ndjekjes" (Pursuit Forces) to track and eliminate anti-communist leaders, particularly Muharrem Bajraktari and Gjon Markagjoni.
Enver Hoxha set up a communist regime in Albania in 1945, with Albania remaining under communism until 1989.