In the summer of 1998, at the request of the then Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Dr. Bujar Bukoshi, I traveled to Albania with a clear mission to visit, closely observe, gather facts and report on the activities and operations of FARK-UÇK forces on Albanian territory. It was a trip loaded with responsibility, but also with great expectations for what I would see and experience.
Written by: Bajram Gecaj
During this visit, I had the opportunity to visit the Ministry of Defense, as well as the barracks in Lapraka, Kukës and Papaj of Bajram Curri. An extraordinary part of this mission was my intensive conversation of over five hours with the then Minister of Defense, Ahmet Krasniqi, as well as his Deputy Minister, Agim Mehmeti. At the same time, in Tirana I also met many KLA soldiers, temporarily withdrawn from the war zones, among them soldier Petrit Haraqija, who carried with them the wounds, fatigue and pride of the battles just ended.
I would like to dedicate this article in particular to the Commander of the Professional Guards Brigade “SKENDERBEU,” which operated within the framework of FARK-UÇK, Colonel Rashit Mustafa, widely known as Commander Karadaku. This unit was established with the aim of being the first to enter Kosovo, to pave the way and to ensure the entry of the next larger unit in the fall of 1998. The aim was to carry out the strategy prepared in advance by the Ministry of Defense for the liberation of Kosovo. However, after the assassination of Minister Ahmet Krasniqi, the project was abandoned.
Commander Karadaku had left a deep and unforgettable impression on me. His presence, the calm, determination and discipline of the unit he led, raised extraordinary emotions in me and made me understand the seriousness and dedication of those boys.
On that visit, I had traveled in the car of Zeqir Shamolli (Zeqa), whom I had just met in Tirana, but with whom we later developed a strong and sincere friendship in free Kosovo. Commander Karadaku, as well as the other FARK-KLA officers I met in those days, expressed their concerns about the lack of sufficient support from the Kosovo Government in exile, about the obstacles coming from the other wing of the KLA, as well as about the numerous difficulties they encountered with the structures of the then government in Tirana.
Commander Karadaku's unit had undergone three months of intensive training for commando operations in Kukes. They were strong, tall, impressive-looking boys with exemplary military discipline, all ready and eager to face Serbian military, police and paramilitary forces head-on.
At the end of the day, just like in regular armies, they lowered the Albanian flag. I asked the Commander for permission for Zeqa and I to stand at the back of the line of soldiers, and he approved. However, that moment stirred up such strong emotions in me that I told Zeqa that I would stand in their ranks. I even gave him clear instructions on how he should report to my country and whom he should inform about my decision to join the KLA.
Commander Karadaku was adamant and insistent that I not stay. He told me that even if I did, there was no place for me in that unit, since his soldiers were already trained as special forces. His insistence was that I return from where I came and help with the logistical aspects of FARK-UÇK, because, as he told me, there were more men than equipment.
Unfortunately, Commander Karadaku's body was found on June 28, 2005, near Gjakova, while it is suspected that he was killed on June 10, 1999. His death, to this day, remains unsolved and an open wound for justice and our collective memory.
Glory to the life and work of Colonel Rashit Mustafa - Commander Karadaku.
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