Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac
Albanian militant group (1999–2001) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (LAPMB; Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit, UÇPMB; Serbian: Ослободилачка војска Прешева, Медвеђе и Бујановца, ОВПМБ, romanized: Oslobodilačka vojska Preševa, Medveđe i Bujanovca, OVPMB) was an Albanian militant insurgent group fighting for separation from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for three municipalities: Preševo, Medveđa, and Bujanovac, home to most of the Albanians in south Serbia, adjacent to Kosovo. Of the three municipalities, two have an ethnic Albanian majority, whilst Medveđa has a significant minority of them.[3][4]
Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac | |
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Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit | |
Leaders | Shefket Musliu Muhamet Xhemajli Ridvan Qazimi † Njazi Azemi † Bardhyl Osmani † |
Dates of operation | 1999–2001 |
Headquarters | Dobrosin |
Active regions | "Ground Safety Zone", Preševo Valley, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
Ideology | Albanian nationalism Greater Albania Separatism Irredentism |
Size | 5,000 (1,500 active)[1][2] |
Allies | Kosovo Liberation Army Albanian National Army National Liberation Army |
Opponents | Yugoslavia KFOR |
Battles and wars | Insurgency in the Preševo Valley
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The UÇPMB's uniforms, procedures and tactics mirrored those of the then freshly disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The 1,500-strong paramilitary launched an insurgency in the Preševo Valley from 1999 to 2001, with the goal of joining these municipalities to Kosovo.[5] The EU condemned what it described as the "extremism" and use of "illegal terrorist actions" by the group.[6]