Drenica

This article is about a region in Kosovo. For the river in Kosovo, see Drenica (river).

Municipalities of Glogovac and Skenderaj in Drenica region.

Drenica (Albanian: Drenica or Drenicë) also known as the Drenica Valley, is a hilly region in central Kosovo^[a], covering 1,200 square kilometres (463 sq mi). Located west of the capital Prishtina, its population of 110,000 (1991 Census) is largely ethnic-Albanian.^[1]

The region comprises the municipalities of Drenas and Skenderaj, with these cities being at the same time the respective municipal capitals and major population centers of each municipality. A popular attraction are the Çiçavicë mountains, located northeast of Gllogoc.

History

Drenica is first mentioned in 1413, when Đorđe Branković, his mother Mara, and brothers Đurđe and Lazar, endows the village of Dobroševce to the Monastery of Saint Paul of Mount Athos. Despot Đurađ Branković (1427 —1456) founded the Devič monastery in the reigon.

Traditionally this region showed strong resistance to any of the regimes installed in Kosovo by force. Before and after World War Two, the region was the site of much rebel activity.

The villages surrounding the towns of Drenas and Skenderaj are the birthplace of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), which began armed operations in Drenica in 1996. A KLA stronghold during the 1998-1999 Kosovo War, the region saw many armed conflicts with Serbian police and military forces organized by Slobodan Milošević. The hilltop village of Likoc served as regional headquarters for the KLA until the Serbs recaptured it in an offensive in September 1998. The area around Çiçavicë also saw activity between Serb forces and the 114th Brigade of the KLA.

Yugoslav army and paramilitary units used a Feronikel plant near Gllogoc as a base for operations from 1998 to 1999. Before the war, the factory produced nickel and ore. After the Albanian workers were laid off or expelled, it was also used as a barracks and a fire base, in which cannons and rockets were fired against KLA positions. The plant was bombed by NATO forces on April 29, 1999, causing an unknown number of casualties and extensive damage.

Notable People

• Ahmet Delia
• Azem Galica
• Shote Galica
• Hasan Prishtina
• Shaban Jashari
• Adem Jashari
• Rifat Berisha
• Fehmi Lladrovci
• Avni Spahiu
• Muje Loshi
• Tahir Berisha
• Millosh Kopiliqi
• Shaban Polluzha
• Mehmet Gradica
• Tahir Meha
• Lulzim Basha
• Hashim Thaci
• Fatmir Limaj
• Jakup Krasniqi
• Ilir Shaqiri
• Leonora Jakupi
• Mujë Krasniqi
• Hamzë Jashari
• Fehmi Lladrofci
• Enver Zymberi

Notes and references

Notes:

a.	^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the self-proclaimed Republic of Kosovo. It declared independence on 17 February 2008, while Serbia claims it as part of its own sovereign territory. Its independence is recognised by 85 UN member states.

b. Drenica-The Second Serbian Holy Mountain

References:

1. ^ Human Right Watch: Drenica Region