Battle of Marec

The Marec Highlands came unter KLA control after a successful operation conducted by the KLA in March 1998. Two operational areas were involved in the fighting: the Llap Operational Area with Brigade 153 and the Karadak Operational Area with Brigades 171, 172 and 173. The headquarters of the Karadak Zone was located in the Hajdaraj district of Marec, while the 153rd brigade of the ZOLL was located in Zllash.[6][7]

In April 18, 1999, Serbian forces launched an offensive against the KLA-held Marec Highlands. Taking advantage of the foul weather conditions, the Serbian forces aimed to remove the KLA from the region and encircle their brigades. The Serbian forces attacked from multiple directions, resulting in bloody battles throughout the area. Initially, the Serbian forces clashed with fighters from the KLA's 153rd Brigade in Kukaj, where several Serb soldiers were killed, prompting a temporary retreat. However, Serbian artillery bombarded KLA positions during their retreat. The KLA fighters managed to repel the Serbian forces multiple times during their attempts to capture strategic points. Serbian forces suffered significant losses in personnel and equipment, particularly along the Viti-Gerbesh line. Meanwhile, the KLA had to provide protection and food for the population that had moved from Pristina to the Marec Highlands, which consisted of around 80,000 inhabitants. As a result of their losses, the Serbian command, targeted the civilian population of Makoc, resulting in the massacre of 153 people.[8][9][10]