Albanian–Chetnik War

The Albanian–Chetnik War was a series of violent military operations, massacres, and ethnic attacks carried out by Serbian and Montenegrin Chetnik forces against Albanian-inhabited areas in the border areas of Kosovo, Sandzak and Montenegro during World War II. These attacks aimed to destabilize Albanian control and expel the local population, contributing to the in the broader efforts at [...] during the war.

Background

The region, including Kosovo, the Sandžak of Novi Pazar, and parts of Albania, was under heavy pressure from Chetnik forces. These forces, together with collaborators in the Serbian State Guard, aimed to reduce Albanian influence in the region, particularly in Kosovo and parts of the Dukagjin Plain.

Led by Draža Mihailović, the Chetniks openly pursued the annexation of Albanian-inhabited territories into a Greater Serbia. In response, Albanian political and military leaders such as Xhafer Deva and Ibrahim Lutfiu began organizing defensive efforts.

Volunteers from regions including Drenica, Rugova, Llapusha, Dukagjin, and the Peja area were mobilized, leading to the formation of the Albanian People’s League.

The War

In late June 1941, in Peja, Albanian forces led by Major Rexhep Gilani and Kolë Bib Mirakaj met to organize the defense of the Albanian border against Montenegrin Chetnik forces. Forces under the command of Sak Faslia were deployed along the Morina border line. Montenegrin forces attacked Velika, Morina, Zhanicë, Pepaj, and Nikšić. The Montenegrin offensive was halted by Albanian forces, and an unsuccessful [...] attempt was made against Sak Faslia by the Montenegrin commander Kenić Vukosava. Albanian forces numbered approximately 3,000 and forced Montenegrin units to retreat.

On 22 July, Albanian volunteer forces continued their offensive against Montenegrin troops to expel them from previously occupied Albanian territory. The Communist Party of Yugoslavia committee for the districts of Andrijevica, Berane, and Kolašin encountered strong resistance from Albanian volunteers and ordered its forces to withdraw to the 1912 Albanian–Montenegrin border. A delegation led by Bogdan Šoškić and Milutin Igić was sent to meet Albanian commanders [[Demë

Aftermath

The Albanian–Chetnik conflict had lasting consequences for Kosovo, the Sandžak, and the northern Albanian-inhabited regions. Although Chetnik forces failed to establish long-term control in Kosovo, the fighting resulted in widespread destruction, population displacement, and heavy civilian casualties on all sides.

Many Albanian villages suffered damage or were burned during Chetnik raids, while retaliatory actions and counteroffensives further intensified the cycle of violence. The instability created by the conflict weakened local administration and security, leaving large areas vulnerable to further clashes.

By late 1943 and 1944, the balance of power in the region shifted as German forces withdrew and Yugoslav Partisan units expanded their control. Albanian armed formations were gradually disbanded or absorbed into new political and military structures, while Chetnik forces were defeated or pushed out of Kosovo.

Following the end of World War II, Kosovo was incorporated into socialist Yugoslavia. The wartime conflict and its legacy continued to influence interethnic relations in the region for decades, remaining a sensitive and contested subject in historical interpretation.