Agim Krasniqi (Macedonian: Агим Красниќи, romanized: Agim Krasnikji) is an ethnic Albanian and former insurgent leader based in the village of Kondovo near Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia.[1]
Agim Krasniqi | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1951 Kondovo, SR Macedonia |
| Allegiance |  National Liberation Army Albanian National Army |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles / wars | |
Life
editKrasniqi was born in Kondovo near Skopje in 1951. In 1984, while he was part of the Fronti Nacional Çlirimtar, he was arrested along with other members.[2] He was one of the commanders of the Albanian National Army, which participated in the 2001 insurgency in Macedonia.[3][4] He remained active as the leader of an armed group after the signing of the 2001 Ohrid Agreement.
Krasniqi and his group of around 100 militants[5][6] controlled the village of Kondovo twice, first in July and December 2004 and later between February and August 2005,[6][7] that accompanied the governmental vote of the time.[8] Through the media, Krasniqi threatened to shell Skopje and his men kidnapped and beat four police officers. After this, the ANA withdrew into Kosovo.[9] In July 2005, President Branko Crvenkovski held a session of the National Security Council to discuss the situation. On 14 July, the council gave the green light for the police to arrest Krasniqi. A month later, Krasniqi voluntarily showed up in front of a judge. The judge decided that the action guaranteed he would be available for the courts during the judicial process. As a result, the arrest warrant was withdrawn and he was not detained.[10]
Krasniqi's group was accused by the Macedonian government and media of being involved in the attack on the police station in the village of Vratnica on 12 July 2005.[11][12] Three shells were fired from a missile launcher at the station,[13] mortars, and automatic firearms.[14][15] These attacks resulted in the area being declared off-limits by the Macedonian police.[16]
Starting in September 2004, arrest warrants were issued against him for illegal possession of weapons, kidnapping and theft. He was later arrested and sent to court.[3][17] In February 2007 Agim Krasniqi and his group pleaded not guilty on charges of acts of terror.[8][7] In 2008, Krasniqi was sentenced to 15 years in prison in Macedonia due to a series of crimes, including election irregularities, possession of weapons, and criminal association. Krasniqi was allowed to spend the weekends out of prison. In September 2017, he was welcomed by the villagers in Kondovo.[18] After almost 13 years spent behind bars, Krasniqi escaped in 2020 after a free weekend from the Štip prison where he was serving his sentence, two months before the parliamentary elections. After being a fugitive for four years, Krasniqi was arrested in Kosovo in April 2024.[19] Krasniqi was extradited to North Macedonia in July and returned to the Štip prison.[20]
References
edit- ^ Wood, Nicholas (2006-07-04). "Nationalism Still a Threat in Macedonia". The New York Times.
- ^ "Political Engagement During the '90s: Part Two". Oral History Kosovo. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ a b "Ex-Guerrilla Arrested in Macedonia Vote Violence - Europe - Around the globe - World - Dalje.com". Javno.com. 2008-06-01. Archived from the original on 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- ^ "Macedonia - defense: Buckovski: "Let tragedy be the beginning of the end of the war"". Relief.web. August 10, 2001. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
"ANA" CLAIMS RESPONSIBILITY FOR KILLING OF TEN MACEDONIAN SOLDIERS Skopje, August 10 - A new armed group of ethnic Albanians on Thursday claimed responsibility for the killing of ten Macedonian army reservists in a highway ambush a day earlier. The "Albanian National Army" (AKSH) e-mailed a statement to several media in the region, on Albanian-language, saying a combined unit of its fighters and of the so-called National Liberation Army (NLA) carried the attack out "in revenge" for the killing of five NLA members by Macedonian security forces.
- ^ Christopher M. Jackson (2021). "Bandits, Bondsmen, and Leviathans: Ethnic Groups Contesting Local Security After Conflict in the Western Balkans". Journal of Regional (2): 235. doi:10.5937/jrs0-31813.
- ^ a b "Macedonian Opposition Parties Cry Foul Over Government's Handling of Armed Standoff". SETimes.com. 2005-09-29. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- ^ a b Jana Arsovska (2015). Decoding Albanian Organized Crime: Culture, Politics, and Globalization. University of California Press. p. 55. ISBN 9780520958715.
- ^ a b "Macedonian News: Attempt at Agim Krasniqi's life reported". Vmacedonianews.com. 2007-07-17. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- ^ "Красниќи ќе се врати во Кондово". Time.mk. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
Агим Красниќи и Лирим Какупи - Нацист не се во Кондово, ниту пак во Македонија. Тие пристигнаа во Косово. Беше прифатено нивното барање да не се гонат, во замена за нивно заминување од селото. English: Agim Krasniqi and Lirim Kakupi - Nazis are not in Kondovo, nor in Macedonia. They arrived in Kosovo. Their request not to be prosecuted was accepted, in exchange for their departure from the village.
- ^ "Albanian Gunman's Release Sparks Fury in Macedonia". Institute for War and Peace Reporting. 2 September 2005.
- ^ "Kosovo News and Views: Vratnica attack said done by Krasniqi group, Bit Pazar by a Saudi". Kosovonewsandviews.blogspot.com. 2005-07-29. Retrieved 2011-04-17.
- ^ "UMDiaspora Condemns Terrorist Attacks on Vratnica Police Station - United Macedonian Diaspora". United Macedonian Diaspora - United, we can!. 2005-07-12. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "Extremists Suspected in Attacks on Macedonian Police Stations". OODA Loop. 2005-08-04. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ "Vratnica: History of a Unique Macedonian Village". Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ Taleski, Dane. "Decentralisation in the Republic of Macedonia, The Last Step across the Abyss" (PDF).
- ^ "Macedonian stand-off ends peacefully - the Republic of North Macedonia | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2004-12-17. Retrieved 2024-03-21.
- ^ Zylbeari, Elida (2014-11-27). "Agim Krasniqi është martuar në burg - PORTALB". PORTALB - Dritare Realiteti. Retrieved 2024-01-18.
- ^ "„Добредојде команданту" - вака Агим Красниќи го дочекаа во Кондово". Faktor (in Macedonian). 8 September 2017.
- ^ "Четири години по бегството од штипскиот затвор, кондовецот Агим Красниќи е уапсен во Косово". Kanal 5 (in Macedonian). 5 May 2024.
- ^ "Косово ги екстрадира Красниќи и Рамадани во Македонија". Telma (in Macedonian). 19 July 2024.