Battle of Podujevo

Battle of Podujevo
Part of the Kosovo War
Date 23–27 December 1998 Location Podujevo, Kosovo, Yugoslavia Result Ceasefire Yugoslav offensives repelled Yugoslav forces suffer heavy losses KLA manages to keep the ZOLL headquarters under their control
Belligerents
Yugoslavia	Kosovo Liberation Army
Commanders and leaders
Sreten Lukić	Unknown
Units involved
Special Anti-Terrorist Unit	Unknown
Strength
250 policemen 13 armored vehicles Many t-55 tanks	25 militants
Casualties and losses
Heavy losses 1 killed 6 wounded 1 tank destroyed	10 killed

The Battle of Podujevo (Albanian: Beteja e Tabeve te Llapashticës; Serbian: Битка код Подујева, Bitka kod Podujeva) was fought in the Kosovo War between the Yugoslav Special Anti-Terrorist Unit and KLA insurgents in the village of Llapashtica e Epërme in the municipality of Podujevo. These events started after the death of a policeman who was killed by KLA militants in the area.

Battle

The battle occurred between 23–27 December 1998. Yugoslav forces had the goal of destroying the ZOLL (Operation Zone Llap) headquarters of the KLA. Before reaching the village of the ZOLL headquarters, Yugoslav forces were met by strong resistance from the KLA at Tabe. A fierce battle ensued and dozens of Yugoslav offensives were repelled, leaving the Yugoslav forces with heavy losses. According to international monitors who contributed to Operation Eagle Eye, this battle shattered a ceasefire called on by foreign forces. At the conclusion of the fighting, the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission monitored a convoy of Yugoslav Army vehicles.

28 january 1999

Security forces in Belgrade withdrew their units stationed along the road between the capital Pristina and the northern town of Podujevo, where heavy fighting broke out on January 27.