In the years of 1912-13, Serbian paramilitaries led by the Boge Vojvoda committed many atrocities on the Albanian population in the villages of Gostivar.[1] A total of 18 villages were razed to the ground and these include Debresh, Zdunje, Bajnica, Simnica, Genovice, Llakavicë, Cerovo, Vrapçishte, Senakos, Dobridoll, Kalishte, Qafë, Çegran, Reçan, Vrutok, Mirdita and Dufë. 859 men and 78 women and children were killed.[2][3]

Senakos
According to Bulgarian sources, in the municipality of
the village of Senakos, 170 innocent villagers were massacred.[4]

Vrapçisht
In the village of Vrapçisht, Serbian chetniks led by Jovan Trojan, Cenë Stefani, Gligor Vasili, Manol Krstic and Stojan Cocol, tortured 18 Albanians to death.[5] The village was burned and residents expelled to Turkey.

Dëbrësh
In the village of Dëbrësh, 7 people were killed by the Serbian troops led by Deso Smillov, Mate Djordje, Drage Lazar, Marko Duke, Simon Grujo and Boshk Novak.[6]

Simnicë
After having committed a massacre prior, the Serbian troops, led by Dimitar Djoko, returned and massacred 18 Albanians in the village of Simnicë.[7]

Gjonovicë
Barely 8 days after the atrocities in Simnicë, Serbian chetniks returned to the village of Gjonovicë and killed 8 men, burned 9 houses full of people, where 13 men and 7 girls and women died. In these atrocites the following were killed: Halil Myslimi with the family of 7 members, Qail Mersini with the family of 4 members, Xhelil Mersini with his family of 5 members, Nazif Ibishi with his son while the brother Zenko Ibish with 3 burned limbs managed to survive.[8]

Cerrovë
In the village of Cerrovë, Serbian troops accused the villagers of having participated in the September Uprising, and for this reason, they killed 9 villagers: Beqir Rustemi, Rushan Rustemi, Rustem Beluli, Tahir Yzeiri, Fejzo Aliu, Maksut Dehari, OsmanSahiti, Ali Jonuzi and Abedin Hida.[9][10]

Miredita e Vogel
After the massacres of Raven and Zdunjë, the Serbian chetniks surrounded the village of Mirditë and killed Jonuz Xhelili with his son Qazim, while 10 other people were tied and led to the village of Bajnica, and were massacred together with Hysen Nuredini, Qail Sadiku, Pajazit Ahmeti, Hamit Ahmeti, Bajram Ahmeti, Riza Pajaziti, Mehmet Limani, Iliaz Limani, and Zulfiqar Lazami.[11][12]

Zdunjë and Raven
After the suppression of the Albanian uprising, the Serbian army entered
the village of Raven and killed 17 men and two women. Afterwards 40 Albanians were captured in the village under the command of Djordje Bilbili and Smilko Peçkova who proceeded to massacre them with bayonets. 35 men and 14 women were killed.[13]

Çegran
In the September Uprising the villagers of Çegran participated. The Serbian troops collected 52 villagers, while 18 others were killed. The rest were told they were being taken to Gostivar where they were killed along the road and thrown in the Vardar River. These killings were ordered by chetnik commander Risto Turcani, who received help from the Deputy Secretary of the Gostivar Prefecture.[14][15]

Qafë
In the village of Qafë, 33 men and 32 women were killed by the Serbo-Czech soldiers. While this was happening, a girl named Sultana grabbed a pair of scissors and killed chetnik commander Stojan and his nephew Mihajlo Josifovic. Two other chetniks were killed, until the soldiers opened fire and killed her.[16]

Bajnicë
In 1913, after the September Uprising, Chetnik detachments, led by Mihajll Dimitriji, Bogdan Mihajlli, Krsta Trajce, Zdrave Micko, Gine Micko, Nestor Angjelli, Sima Novja, Ugrin Trpe, Kuzman Stefani and Mladen Llaze killed many Albanians. Among them were Të vrarit Fetah Emini, Hasan Ymeri, Demir Hoxha and Imer Tusha etj[17][18]

Llakavicë
4 villagers were also killed in the village of Llakavicë.[19]

Llapkindoll
In 1912-13, in the village of Llapkindoll, 26 people were massacred and the village burned down. 5 people were massacred in the village of Llagje and 6 people in the village of Kolibar. In the village of Kollar, 7 people were massacred. The villages of Leshnica, Dragomishta, Tuhini and many other were looted by a Serbian gangs. Similar crimes were comitted during Bulgarian rule.[20][21]

Reçan
With the arrival of the Albanian army from the side of Dibër under the command of Emin bey, the villagers of Reçan under the command of the village Imam Mulla Imer and Halil Sheko took up arms and attacked the Serbian army who retreated towards the village of Zdunjë. But with the recapture of these villages, the commander of the Serbian army called the men to the village square, but the men had left the village for the mountains. The Serbian command gave orders that if the men did not return, their children would be taken hostage. The insurgents decided to return. On this occasion, 86 people were captured, tied up and shot at the place called “Lamët e Katundi”.[22][23][24]

References

1. AQSH (Central Public Archive). Tirana. Fond 23 dos. 28, “The Memoirs of Abdylaqim Doganit”, p. 67
2. Pajaziti, Ali. SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME. p. 373. Retrieved 23 August 2023.
3. Vebi Xhemaili, “Shqiptarët e Maqedonisë nga Kryengritja e Dervish Cares” 1843-1913. Dibrës 1913, Tetovë 2012, p. 684.
4. G. Grigorov. “Srpskite zhestokosti vo Makedonija” (1912-1915) Quoted from p-9.
5. AQSH (Central Public Archives) in Tirana. Fond 812, dos 8, p-9. Published 1944; Në fshatin Vrapçisht nga maltretimi kanë vdekur këta persona: Amza Ameti, Axhi Ameti, Jonuz Memeti, Amit Elamzi, Jusuf Alili, Yzer Xhemali; kërkojmë ndjesë pasi nuk disponojmë komplet me listën e të vrarëve.
6. Ali Pajaziti. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p.376.
7. Ali Pajaziti. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-378.
8. Ali Pajaziti. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-379.
9. Albanian paper “Atdheu”, published 13 September 13, 1913.
10. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-379.
11. AQSH-Tiranë (Central Public Arhives) Fond 812, dos.8 p-11, published 1944.
12. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-383.
13. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-382.
14. AQSH-Tiranë, Fond 812. Dos. 8 p-11, Published 1944.
15. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-384.
16. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-385-86.
17. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-377.
18. AQSH (Central Public Archives) Tirana. Fondi 812, dos 8 p.9 Pulished 1944.
19. “SHQIPTARËT E REKËS SË EPËRME”. p-384.
20. “Në vitin 1913 u bënë vrasje masive në Kërçovë me rrethinë”. Fakti Ditor. 12 October 2016.
21. “Përlindja e Shqipërisë”, 18 vjeshtë e II, p-5. Vlorë, 1913.
22. AQSH-Tiranë (Central Public Archives). Fond 812, dossier 8, p. 1. Published 1944.
23. K. Grigorov, “Srpskite zhestokosti vo Makedonija” (1912-1915).
24. The Paper “Tomori”. Title “Gostivari vendi më i gjallë i Dibrës së Madh”. Tirana. Published September 15-17 1941.