Battles of Kika and Velegllava

Battles of Kika and Velegllava
Part of World War II in Yugoslavia
Date First battle: 28-29 June 1944 Second battle: 26-27 July 1944 Location Kika Mountain, Gollak, Albania (modern-day Kosovo) Result Ballist victory
Belligerents
Balli Kombetar Support: Germany	Yugoslav Partisans
Commanders and leaders
Mulla Idriz Gjilani Limon Staneci Abdi Gjoka  † Bajram Poliça  † Nazim Budrika Islam Shahiqi  †	unknown
Units involved
Ballists from Gollak	First battle: Partisans 22nd Division Second battle: Partisans 21st Division 22nd Division 24th Division 25th Division
Strength
First battle: 300-400 soldiers Second battle: unknown	First battle: 500-600 soldiers Second battle: 3,000-3,500 soldiers
Casualties and losses
First battle: 17 killed Second battle: 34 killed	First battle: 200 killed 131 POW Second battle: 143 killed 209 wounded Total: 344 killed 340 POW

The Battles of Kika and Velegllava were fought first on 28 June 1944 and later again on 26 July 1944, during World War II, between Yugoslav Partisans and Balli Kombëtar forces, in the territory of German occupied Albania.

First Battle

The first Offensive by the Yugoslav forces of the 22nd Division, aimed at the Velegllava height of Kika Mountain in the Gollak region, occurred on June 28, 1944.^[1][2][3] A group of 500-600 men, mobilized from Toplica, Vranje, and Leskovac, launched an offensive towards Kika^[1][2][3][4] However, they encountered fierce resistance from Balli Kombëtar units. During the 12-hour-long fight, which continued into June 29, 1944, the Yugoslav partisans were defeated with significant losses.^[1][2][3][4] In the first battle, the Yugoslav Partisans suffered heavy losses, with 200 killed and 131 taken as Prisoners of War.^[1][3][4] The Ballist forces also faced losses, with 17 killed, including 2 officers, and many injured.^[1] On the Ballist side several Commanders such as Abdi Gjoka from Mati, Bajram Poliçka, and others were killed in the first battle.^[1][2]

Second Battle

During the night between July 25 and 26, Yugoslav Partisans of the 21st, 22nd, 24th, and 25th divisions, with new military reinforcements of about 3,000-3,500 soldiers, launched a wide-scale offensive on a 20 km front with the goal of capturing Gjilan.^[5][3][6] The Yugoslav partisans attacked Kika Mountain once more, and the second battle again concluded with a Ballist victory.^[6] The Partisans suffered 143 killed and 209 wounded, while on the Albanian side, 34 Ballists were killed. Among the dead was one of the Ballist commanders, Islam Shahiqi.^[2]

References

1. "FJALËSI I EMRAVE TË PERSONALITETEVE DHE NGJARJEVE NGA TERRITORI I KOMUNËS SË GJILANIT DHE TËRËSIA ETNIKE SHQIPTARE, POR EDHE NGA BOTA" (PDF). Municipality of Kosovo: 56–57. 2016 – via Republic of Kosovo, Municipality of Gjilan.
2. Ramadani, Nijazi. "Beteja e Kikes". {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
3. mediafokus (2021-08-02). "77 vjet nga Beteja e lavdishme e Kikës (Dokumentar)". Mediafokus (in Albanian). Retrieved 2024-07-01.
4. Pirraku, Muhamet (1995). Mulla Idris Gjilani dhe mbrojtja kombëtare e Kosovës Lindore: 1941-1951 (in Albanian). "Dituria Islame" redaksia e botimeve historike.
5. "Nazim Sejdë Budrika - Komandant i Betejës së Kikës". Gazetë Rajonale Online - RajoniPress.com (in Albanian). 2021-11-07. Retrieved 2024-06-30.
6. Selimi, Bardhyl (2016). Adem Gllavica (Selimi) tregon: (me rastin e 100 vjetorit të lindjes) (in Albanian). Botimet Ngjyrat e kohës. p. 292. ISBN 978-9928-4327-4-2. Beteja e Kikës u zhvillua më 26 korrik 1944, kur në befasi partizanët, pas mesit të natës, ia mësynë pozicioneve shqiptare. Shqiptarët ishin mobilizuar dhe tani më të përgatitur arritën që të zmbrapsin komunistët serbë, të cilëve u shkaktuan humbje të mëdha. Këto dy luftëra të suksesëshme i bënë vullnetarët shqiptarë më të fuqishëm moralisht. Numri i gadimasve në këto luftime arriti mbi 150 veta.