We Should Know the Facts: Podujevo, March 28, 1999

On March 28, 1999, during the NATO bombing of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, a reserve unit of the Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Serbia (MUP Serbia) known as “Scorpions” killed 14 members of Bogujevci and Duriqi families in an operation of ethnic cleansing of Albanians from Podujevo.

On this occasion seven children and seven women were killed in the backyard of Halim Gashi’s house in Podujevo: Shpetim (1989) and Shpend (1986), sons of Safet Bogujevci, his wife Sala (1960), daughter of Seljatin Bogujevci, his wife Shefkate (1956), Shehide Bogujevci (1932), Nefise Bogujevci Llugaliu (1954), sister of Seljatin and Satef, her daughter-in-law Fezdrije Llugaliu (1978), Dafina (1990), Arber (1992), Mimoza (1995), and Albin (1997), children of Enver Duriqi, Fitnete (1963), Enver’s wife, and Isma (1930), Enver’s mother.

On the same occasion Saranda (1985), Safet’s daughter, and Seljatin’s children Fatos (1986), Jehona (1988), Lirie (1990), and Genc (1993) were seriously wounded.

Because of the crimes committed in Podujevo, Željko Đukić, Dragan Medić, and Dragan Borojević, members of the “Scorpions” unit, were tried by the Department of War Crimes of the High Court in Belgrade and sentenced with a legally binding decision to 20 years in prison each, while Miodrag Šolaja was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

Saša Cvjetan, member of the “Scorpions” unit was sentenced with a legally binding decision to 20 years in prison in 2005.