Ljuboten incident
| Ljuboten incident | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of 2001 insurgency in Macedonia | |||||
| |||||
| Belligerents | |||||
| National Liberation Army (initial attack denied by Ali Ahmeti) | Macedonia | ||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||
| Muzafer Agushi †[1][2] | Johan Tarčulovski | ||||
| Units involved | |||||
| 113th Brigade "Ismet Jashari" | |||||
| Strength | |||||
| Unknown | 60-70 reserve policemen | ||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||
| 1 militant killed[1][2] |
8 reservists killed[3] | ||||
|
10 ethnic Albanian civilians killed Around 150 ethnic Albanians injured[4] Hundreds of ethnic Albanians arrested[5] 14 ethnic Albanian homes burned[5] | |||||
The Ljuboten incident, also known as Ljubotenski Bacila massacre (Macedonian: Масакрот на Љуботенски Бачила, Masakrot na Ljubotenski Bačila) and Luboten massacre,[6][7] happened in early August 2001, when eight soldiers were killed after a Macedonian Army truck convoy composed of reservists ran over a landmine near the village of Ljuboten and a police operation was led in the village by Johan Tarčulovski afterwards.[8][9] Tarčulovski was convicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in 2008.
Background
On 10 August 2001, eight Macedonian soldiers were killed in a landmine explosion when a convoy of army trucks ran over three landmines, which occurred on the road between the villages of Ljubanci and Ljuboten. Six soldiers were injured in the explosion.[10] Immediately after the attack, fighting between Albanian rebels and Macedonian forces erupted.[10] The Macedonian government officially blamed the NLA for the attack.[11] The leader of the NLA, Ali Ahmeti, did not confirm NLA involvement in planting the mines, suggested the devices might have been placed by government forces to prevent rebel crossings, and expressed his regret at the incident.[12]
Massacre
| Luboten massacre | |
|---|---|
| Location | Ljuboten, Macedonia |
| Date | 12 August 2001 |
| Target | Albanian civilians |
Attack type | Raid, massacre, arson |
| Deaths | 10 killed |
| Injured | Around 150 injured[4] |
| Victims | Hundreds arrested[5] |
| Perpetrators | Macedonian Police led by Johan Tarčulovski[5] |
No. of participants | 60-70 reserve policemen |
| Motive | Revenge for the killing of 8 reservists which were killed by a NLA planted mine |
| Verdict | Guilty |
| Convictions | War crimes (murder, wanton destruction and cruel treatment) |
| Convicted | 1 |
The Macedonian Army shelled Ljuboten with helicopters and heavy artillery, and during the shelling two Albanian civilians, one elderly man and a 6-year-old girl were killed.[13] Following the shelling, on 12 August, Macedonian reservists entered the village.[11][13] 60-70 reserve policemen, along with men from a private security agency named "Kometa",[14] were involved under the command of Johan Tarčulovski.[15] They killed six individuals, shooting them either in the head or the back, including a 6-year-old boy.[13][16][1] Later one man was stabbed to death in the presence of his paralyzed father.[13] 14 houses were burned and more than 100 people were arrested.[17][18] Many of them were abused by the police.[15] Around 150 ethnic Albanians were injured in an encounter with the police.[4] On 12 August, a small faction of NLA fighters led by Muzafer Agushi deserted from the NLA to return to Ljuboten. Their primary objective was to rescue wounded civilians in the village amid the ongoing massacre. Agushi lost his life on that very day.[1] Ten Albanian civilians were killed in total.[11]
Aftermath
The body of a missing 35-year-old man from Ljuboten was found by his relatives at the morgue in Skopje, six days after the incident.[13] Investigations by local and international human rights groups concluded that no combatants were present in the village during the police operation, as well as confirming that ethnic Albanian villagers were beaten and killed.[13][11]
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) at The Hague indicted Ljube Boškoski, Minister of Interior of Macedonia, and Johan Tarčulovski, a police officer, for war crimes in Ljuboten. In 2008, Boškoski was acquitted as the ICTY found no evidence that he was aware about the crimes committed by the police under Tarčulovski and concluded that he was not obligated to investigate.[19] Tarčulovski was found guilty of the murder of three Albanian civilians, wanton destruction of 12 houses or other property, and the cruel treatment of 13 ethnic Albanian civilians, and sentenced to 12 years in prison. It was the only ICTY case related to war crimes in Macedonia.[20][21]
Regarding the police operation, historian Mark Biondich wrote: "The Ljuboten incident, despite its brutality, was not part of an official policy of ethnic cleansing."[15] The family of a victim in Ljuboten filed a lawsuit against Tarčulovski in 2017, wanting €1,000,000 as compensation.[22]
References
- ^ a b c d Sevdail F. Demiri; Skender Asani; Zeqirija Ibrahimi, eds. (2021). Luboteni 2001: studime, raporte, dokumente dhe fotografi (in Albanian). Instituti i Trashëgimisë Shpirtërore e Kulturore të Shqiptarëve. ISBN 9786084897408.
- ^ a b "Dëshmorët e Ushtrisë Çlirimtare të Kosovës (Monografi)" (PDF). 2001. p. 82.
- ^ "24 years since the UCK ambush that killed eight Macedonian soldiers". Republika. 10 August 2025.
- ^ a b c "FYR of Macedonia: The crimes of Ljuboten - the Republic of North Macedonia | ReliefWeb". 31 August 2001.
- ^ a b c d "Дали Охридскиот договор спречи граѓанска војна?". Civil Media (in Macedonian). 13 August 2019.
- ^ "North Macedonia Vows to Finally Build Memorials to Troops Killed in 2001". Balkan Insight. 3 October 2023.
- ^ "Today marks 24 years since the Ljuboten massacre". Telegrafi. 12 August 2025.
- ^ "Soldiers killed in Macedonia blast". CNN world. Archived from the original on 2013-01-20. Retrieved 2022-03-08.
- ^ "Crime scene investigation thwarted by darkness". SENSE Transitional Justice Center. 2008-02-08.
- ^ a b "CNN.com - Soldiers killed in Macedonia blast - August 10, 2001". CNN. Archived from the original on 2022-10-21. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
- ^ a b c d Fisher, Ian (2001-09-05). "Report Says Macedonians Killed Civilians in Revenge". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
- ^ "Ali Ahmeti: "NLA Supports the Peace Agreement" Posted August 11, 2001". Alb net. National Albanian American Council. Archived from the original on 2016-10-17. Retrieved 3 July 2022.
The NLA has signed an agreement with NATO, where both parties have no right of movement, that is why today I am expressing my regret that the Government troops have entered the mountain road and have stepped on mines which we have not confirmed whether they have been planted by our soldiers or by government forces themselves, so that they could prevent the movement of the NLA in those areas. So again, I express regret for this accident.
- ^ a b c d e f "The Crimes of Ljuboten". IWPR. 6 September 2005.
- ^ "Judgement Summary For Ljube Boškoski and Johan Tarčulovski". ICTY. 10 July 2008.
- ^ a b c Mark Biondich (2011). The Balkans: Revolution, War, and Political Violence Since 1878. OUP Oxford. p. 242. ISBN 9780191559518.
- ^ "18 vjet nga masakra e Lubotenit". Gazeta Online INSAJDERI. Retrieved 2023-05-18.
- ^ "The Hague: Status Conference for Tarculovski". Balkan Insight. 10 February 2010.
- ^ "It's been 21 years since the Luboten massacre". Indeksonline. 12 August 2022.
- ^ "Macedonian ex-minister acquitted of war crimes". France 24. 10 July 2008.
- ^ "Appeals Chamber Affirms Conviction of Johan Tarčulovski and Acquittal of Ljube Boškoski". International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. 19 May 2010.
- ^ "UN tribunal for Balkans crimes transfers convicted police officer to Germany". UN News. 8 July 2011.
- ^ "Милион евра отштета - Семејство на загинат од Љуботен го тужи Тарчуловски". Faktor (in Macedonian). 11 December 2017.