PROFILPELAJAR.COM

Battle of Desivojca
	Part of World War II in Yugoslavia
Date	19–20 December 1944
Location	Desivojca, Gollak, Albania (modern-day Kosovo)
Result	Ballist victory
Belligerents
Balli Kombetar; Support:; Germany	Yugoslav Partisans
Commanders and leaders
Sylë Zarbica; Mulla Idriz Gjilani; Muharrem Fejza; Shefki Desivojca; Sylejman Qarri; Jusuf Baftjari; Fazli Ramadani; Lam Breznica	Vlada Popović; Јovo Šotra
Units involved
Ballists from Gollak	17th Macedonian Brigade
Strength
Unknown	1,800 soldiers
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

The Battle of Desivojca took place on 19 December 1944 during World War II, between Yugoslav Partisans and Balli Kombëtar forces, in the territory of German occupied Albania.

Background

On 1 December 1944, during a meeting in Tërpezë (Viti), it was decided that all Albanian nationalist forces (Ballists), who were collaborators of Nazi Germany,^[1] should unite to liberate and safeguard Gjilan and Ferizaj from the atrocities committed by the Partisans and Chetniks.^[2]^[3] Following this decision, the Committee of Albanian Resistance for Eastern Kosovo was established on 17 December 1944, in the village Zarbincë of Hashania. Mulla Idriz Gjilani was appointed as the commander in chief.^[2] The committee included resistance unit commanders from Gollak and Karadak, such as Xheladin Kurbalia, Jusuf Baftjari, Ymer Myqybaba, Sylë Hotla, and others, aiming to swiftly implement defensive measures against Partisan-Chetnik attacks along the border of Eastern Kosovo.^[2]

Battle

On December 19, 1944, the 17th Macedonian Brigade, composed of 1,800 soldiers,^[4]^[1]^[5] advanced towards Desivojca, seizing control of the surrounding Gollak Highlands before launching an attack on the village.^[6] Upon their arrival, the brigade immediately began perpetrating acts of violence and atrocities, including burning homes and killing innocent civilians.^[6] In response, a considerable number of Ballists, led by Mulla Idriz Gjilani and Hoxhe Lipovica, mobilized from the mountainous terrain to come to the aid of the villagers.^[2]^[6] On December 20, 1944, Ballist forces, under the command of Sylë Zarbica, launched a swift assault on the Partisans from the North, while Riza Shkodra led an attack from the south.^[6] Simultaneously, a battalion of Partisans, attempting to prevent encirclement, was ambushed and decimated.^[2]^[6] The confrontation culminated in the complete annihilation of the 17th Macedonian Brigade, resulting in devastating losses.^[6]^[1]^[5]

Aftermath

On 23 December 1944, following this decisive victory in the Gollak Highlands, local fighters from Desivojca and other parts of Gollak and Hashania, along with soldiers from Karadak under the command of Jusuf Baftjari, Sylë Hotla and Mulla Idriz Gjilani, marched towards Gjilan with the aim of reclaiming the city, yet their efforts were unsuccessful.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Ivanov, Pavle Dželetović (1987). 21. SS-divizija Skenderbeg (in Bosnian). Nova Knjiga. p. 252. ISBN 978-86-7335-044-8.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Selmani 2011, p. 33-34.
^ Selimi, Bardhyl (2016). Adem Gllavica (Selimi) tregon: (me rastin e 100 vjetorit të lindjes) (in Albanian). Botimet Ngjyrat e kohës. p. 336. ISBN 978-9928-4327-4-2. Në Kuvendin e Tërpezës Mulla Idriz Gjilani erdhi me autorizime të plota të drejtuesve të grupeve guerilje: Xheladin Kurbalisë, Sylë Zarbincës, Faik Tahirit, Shyt Marecit, Ajet Kosovicës, Qazim Zekëbashës, Ajet Raincës, Sylë Hotlës, Ymer Saçës dhe Hoxhë Lipovicës. Në Kuvendin e Tërpezës, si përfaqësues i viseve që i përfaqësonte Mulla Idrizi, ishte edhe Muharrem Fejza i Hogoshit, i cili në Kuvend vinte me përfaqësuseit e Kaçanikut dhe ish sekretarin e Komunsë së Velekincës, Ndue Pepën. Në përcjellje të personaliteteve politike e ushtarake drejtuese në Tërpezë arritën rreth 400 luftëtarë të armatosur.
^ "Sherif Sherifi: Fazli Ramadani (1921-1994) - Luftëtar i njohur dhe patriot në malësinë e Bujanocit". Zemra Shqiptare. Retrieved 2024-03-20.
^ ^a ^b Vuković, Ilija (1985). Autonomaštvo i separatizam na Kosovu (in Bosnian). RO "Nova knj.". p. 215.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "FJALËSI I EMRAVE TË PERSONALITETEVE DHE NGJARJEVE NGA TERRITORI I KOMUNËS SË GJILANIT DHE TËRËSIA ETNIKE SHQIPTARE, POR EDHE NGA BOTA" (PDF). Municipality of Kosovo. 2016 – via Republic of Kosovo, Municipality of Gjilan.
^ "Koncepti i Hoxhë Lipovicës ishte i qartë dhe i thjeshtë - për Shqipëri Etnike dhe për bashkim kombëtar". Gazetë Rajonale Online - RajoniPress.com (in Albanian). 2020-03-09. Retrieved 2024-03-26.

Sources

Selmani, Aliriza (2011), Gjithkund ne Kosove solemnisht u kremtua festa e Fiter - Bajramit [Everywhere in Kosovo, the Fitr - Bajram holiday was solemnly celebrated] (in Albanian), Dituria Islame, retrieved 2023-11-12