Albanian National Army

Infobox War Faction
name=Albanian National Army
war=


caption=Official ensign of the Albanian National Army.
active=2001 – present
ideology=Separatism
Greater Albania
leaders=
clans=
headquarters=
area=Kosovo
Republic of Macedonia (especially Tetovo and Struga)
strength=
partof=
previous=
next=
allies=Kosovo Liberation Army
Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac
National Liberation Army
Liberation Army of Chameria
opponents=Serbia
Republic of Macedonia
battles=

The Albanian National Army (abbreviated ANA; _sq. Armata Kombëtare Shqiptare, AKSh), is an ethnic Albanian terrorist organization closely associated with the Kosovo Liberation Army — operating in the Republic of Macedonia and Kosovo under international administration from 2001. The group opposes the Ohrid Framework Agreement which ended the 2001 Macedonia conflict between insurgents of the National Liberation Army and Macedonian security forces.

History

It was formed in 2001 in the Republic of Macedonia and in 2003, the UNMIK declared it a terrorist organization. The organization is strictly related to FBKSH (National Front for Reunification of Albanians)

The ANA appeared in Kosovo in 2003, where on March 7, two members trying to detonate a bomb were shot and killed by Serbian police [ [http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2003/27874.htm Serbia and Montenegro: Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2003] U.S. Department of State. February 25, 2004.] . In 2007, a video was aired by Kosovar television stations depicting a band of medium-armed, masked individuals intercepting cars. In October, 2007 the unit declared it would seize the Serb exclave of North Kosovo by force if the Kosovo Protection Force does not occupy it by 1 November, 2007.

In early November 2007, insurgents of the "Political Advisory Body of the Kosovo Liberation Army" suffered a minor crackdown, dubbed Operation Mountain Storm by the Macedonian armed forces in north-western Macedonia. According to Macedonian authorities; six members of the KLA were killed. [ [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/11/195E47EB-2673-4C5C-8405-63613911F406.html Firefight Kills Eight In Macedonia Near Kosovo Border - RADIO FREE EUROPE / RADIO LIBERTY ] ]

On 13 November, 2007 a video was aired to the public, an exclusive interview with a leader of the ANA patrolling in the covert areas of North Kosovo, recruiting 20 new men. The leader stated that ANA stands at 12,000 men altogether and has called the Kosovar population for a boycott of then-forthcoming elections.

The ANA has claimed that it is patrolling North Kosovo to prevent incursions by the Czar Lazar Guard group. [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2007/11/14/feature-01 Report: ANA paramilitaries patrolling northern Kosovo towns] ]

ee also

*Kosovo Liberation Army
*Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac
*National Liberation Army
*Liberation Army of Chameria
*Greater Albania

External links

* [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2003/26231.htm Status of Albanian National Army (Taken Question)]
* [http://www.tkb.org/Group.jsp?groupID=3546 ANA on MIPT Terrorism Knowledge Base]

References