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KDOM Update Released by the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs, Office of South Central European Affairs, U.S. Department of State, Washington, DC, January 28, 1999

(Editor's Note: With the progressive changeover of responsibility from KDOM to OSCE/KVM, the KDOM Daily Report has been replaced by this Update, which is published as material becomes available.)

Compiled by EUR/SCE (202-647-5624) from daily reports of the U.S. element
of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observers Mission and other sources

January 28, 1999

Heavy fighting broke out last night in the Podujevo area where Serb forces using tanks in stationary positions fired on what appeared to be KLA bunkers along a ridgeline. The fighting, which was provoked by the Serbs, threatened to close the Pristina-Podujevo-Nis road. According to a KVM report, the fighting was heaviest around the villages of Luzane and Gornja Lapastica, the latter being a KLA stronghold above Podujevo. The battle, which ended about 6:00 last evening, created about 2,000 new displaced Kosovars, according to the UNHCR. These people are without proper clothing or resources to sustain themselves in deteriorating weather conditions with sub-zero temperatures at night.

The remainder of Kosovo was generally quiet through last night and up to noon today, according to both KDOM and KVM field patrols. VJ forces remain heavily deployed in the Racak area but no fighting is reported there. Late yesterday, VJ and Serb police moved in force to the Drenica area, specifically into the villages of Glogovac, Lapusnik, and Kijevo. As of noon today these forces remain in place and observers say there could well be trouble there soon. Malisevo remains calm and IDPs are returning to their homes in that area. There has been a noticeable increase in commercial and civilian road traffic along the Malisevo-Lapusnik road.

In efforts to monitor and stabilize the Stimlje region, KVM is opening a new station in that town today. They plan also to open one in Glogovac soon.

KVM is investigating a report that the Serbian police have laid minefields in four different locations in the Crnolevo Mountains to the west of Stimlje.

A company-sized VJ battle group which had been deployed to the area around Svrhe went home to its base in Volujak today, probably because of the constant monitoring of its activities by KVM patrols over the past several days. Following the departure of the troops, the KVM observed Svrhe residents returning to their homes from the surrounding forests.

[End of Document]

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