YUGOSLAVIA: KOSOVO: KLA TAKE OVER PRIZREN

(15 Jun 1999) English/Nat

As convoys of Yugoslav soldiers and Serb civilians straggle out of Kosovo, ethnic Albanian rebels are quietly moving in.

The Kosovo Liberation Army (K-L-A) is taking up positions vacated by departing Serbs.

On Tuesday the K-L-A consolidated its control of over the Kosovan city of Prizren.

Soldiers went on patrol through the city streets and even took over the Yugoslav military base there.

Rexha Ekrem, the senior KLA commander known as Drini, announced his forces had taken control of the Kosovan city of Prizren.

He said that Prizren should be used as a model for the rest of Kosovo, pointing out that it is the one place where the K-L-A is now supposedly in charge.

However he says that his troops will still follow any orders handed down by NATO.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"They are under the control, they have the order, every order that will come down we will accept that. The orders in accordance between our government and NATO."
SUPER CAPTION: Drini, KLA Commander

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We never hurt civilians, we never hurt children, females and old people we never hurt them. All the men who have been involved in war crimes will be responsible for that activity. All others, they are free to stay, we won't pressure anyone."
SUPER CAPTION: Drini, KLA Commander

K-L-A soldiers have also taken control over some smaller towns, as well as the border post at Morini on the Albanian-Yugoslav border.

However Commander Drini says its the control of Prizren, which is most important.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"This is going to be an example for all of Kosovo, because this is the first city, Prizren is the first city which is under the KLA control, until now everything has been going very smoothly and nice."
SUPER CAPTION: Drini, KLA Commander

Meanwhile there were celebrations on the streets of Prizren as K-L-A soldiers entered the city.

K-FOR troops monitored the situation in the town, while the K-L-A were greeted as heroic liberators by the majority of residents.

Crowds cheered and clapped, and celebratory gunfire rang out as the K-L-A soldiers went on patrol through Prizren.

They later took over the Yugoslav military base there.

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