Misplaced Pages

Agim Çelaj

Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license. Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat. We can research this topic together.
Agim Çelaj
Nickname(s)"Coli"
Born(1961-06-12)12 June 1961
Strellc,Pejë,Kosovo
Died19 July 1998(1998-07-19) (aged 37)
Orahovac,Kosovo
Service / branch
Years of service1980-1998
RankCommander
Battles / warsCroatian War of Independence
(until 1993)
AwardsHero of Kosovo

Agim Çelaj nicknamed Coli was a Kosovar commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army during the Kosovo War, from the village of Strellc. He also served the Croatian Army during the Croatian War of Independence.

Biography

Agim Çelaj was an Albanian born on 12 June 1961 in the village of Strellc, Peja, to his parents Binak and Zylfie Çelaj. He started his military training in the military academy of Belgrade in 1980, completing it by 1982, before continuing his military training in Croatia. Upon the start of the Croatian War of Independence, Agim quickly joined the other Albanian volunteers in the Croatian Army. After 1993, he moved to North Macedonia where he remained for 2 years, awaiting an armed uprising in Gostivar, however he was tracked by the Yugoslav police and migrated to Germany.

With the spread of the KLA's popularity in 1998 after the Attack on Prekaz, Agim Çelaj, leading a group of 45 armed men and women entered Kosovo. He operated in the areas of Likoc, Açarevë, Negroc and Klečka and his group became known as the 121st "Kumanovo" brigade. On 25 June 1998, Agim Çelaj led an attack in Bllace together with Ismet Jashari where they destroyed a Yugoslav BOV.

Death

Main article: Attack on Orahovac

On 17 July 1998, Agim Ramadani together with 20 other soldiers were planning to attack Orahovac. After leading an intial successful attack, his army was pushed back by a Yugoslav offensive, leading to his death on the 19th.

Legacy

On 14 December 2016 Agim Çelaj revieced the Hero of Kosovo from former Kosovar president Atifete Jahjaga.

References

  1. ^ "Agim Binak Çelaj (6.12.1961 – 19.7.1998)". radiokosovaelire.com. 19 July 2024.
  2. ^ Nuhi, Bytyçi (21 July 2020). "Në 22 vjetorin e rënies së Gjeneralit të UÇK-së, kolosit të luftës çlirimtare, Agim Çelaj". epokaere.com.
  3. Grejqevci, Fatmir (2023-08-25). "Ismet Jashar Jashari (16.4.1967 – 25. 8. 1998)". Radio Kosova e Lirë. Retrieved 2024-04-27.
  4. "Thaçi: Beteja e Rahovecit ndër betejat më të mëdha të UÇK-së". Kallxo. 19 July 2020. Retrieved 10 January 2022.
  5. "Sot Peja i përjetëson me permendore heronjtë Agim Çelaj, Bekim Berisha, Skënder Çeku dhe Xhemajl Fetahaj". epokaere.com. 16 June 2023.
Categories: