On the 27th anniversary of the battle that would go down in history, in Koshare, former commander of the “Topi Unit” Battalion, Feriz Trezhnjeva, still vividly remembers his last meeting with the hero Agim Ramadani.
Even after so many years, with strong emotions, he recounts the moment when Commander Katana (Ramadani) gifted him a topographic compass, as a medal of honor and gratitude.
Twenty-seven years later, speaking from the memorial complex in Koshare where 114 fallen fighters of this battle rest, the former anti-tank battalion commander emphasized that the Battle of Koshare remains one of the most glorious in Albanian history.
According to him, it was a fully-fledged military operation, planned and led by professionals from all fields—from infantry and artillery to logistics and medical support.
Recalling his role as commander of the unit equipped with 75 mm and 82 mm artillery, the veteran explained his motivation to join the war, even though he came from Albania.
The most dramatic and emotional moment of his account relates to the night of April 8, 1999, just before the attack to break through the border began. After receiving the final combat order, the commanders said goodbye to one another, aware of the danger ahead.
“We received our duties and responsibilities, as we had already prepared the operational plan—how each unit command would carry out its combat operation, where it would strike, how far it would advance. Everything had been planned. There we received the final combat order. I remember a very dramatic moment when we all said goodbye before moving with our units across the Koshare territory… As I was about to leave, he called me: ‘Commander Trezhnjeva,’ and I turned. He said, ‘I have a gift for you.’ He took the topographic compass and placed it around my neck like a medal, something I will never forget, and told me: ‘For your contribution and the help you are giving us, this is my gift to you. I don’t know when we will see each other again.’ These were the last words of Agim Ramadani. I was moved to tears—we embraced once more. On April 9, we communicated six times via radio with Agim, coordinating fire and combat actions so that we would all be aligned for the Battle of Koshare,” he said.
Twenty-seven years later, Trezhnjeva recalls that the fall of Commander Katana on April 11, 1999, was a heavy blow, but it did not break the morale of the soldiers.
The Battle of Koshare is considered the most heroic battle of the Kosovo Liberation Army, as fighters managed to break the Kosovo–Albania border, which had been in place for a hundred years. The battle began on April 9, 1999, and ended on June 10, 1999. In the altar of freedom, 114 fighters fell as martyrs, including Brigade 138 commander Agim Ramadani, while 380 others were wounded.
The post Agim Ramadani’s Final Compass: Former Commander’s Story Touches Hearts 27 Years After Koshare appeared first on Euronews Albania.
