First Attack on Prekaz

In an attempt to arrest KLA commander Adem Jashari for killing a Serbian policeman, Serbian forces assaulted the Jashari compound in Donji Prekaz on 22 January 1998 at 5:20 am.^[6][1] However, Adem was not there at the time, but several KLA fighters from the Jashari family were and repelled the Yugoslav forces away from the village.^[1]

The next day, on January 23, the police and military made another attempt to assault the village. During this second attempt, a mob of thousands of Albanians who supported Adem Jashari entered the village in defense of the compound. Afterwards, the Yugoslav forces withdrew from Donji Prekaz.^[7]

During the attack, the Jasharis were aided by friends and neighbors that came into Donji Prekaz from the woods.^[1] The KLA and the Jashari family suffered no casualties from the assault, as many were hiding in the woods.^[8] However, two of Adem Jashari's nieces were injured by the Serbian police during the assault on the compound.^[9][10]

After the attack, the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs claimed that the attack was a shootout between local gangs.^[1]

After Yugoslav forces failed to capture Adem Jashari for a second time, they conducted a far larger attack on 5 to 7 March which killed 59 people including 28 women and young children and at least three people by summary execution. The attack was heavily criticized by human rights organizations as excessive force. According to Amnesty International, the attack was meant to kill all suspects and their families rather than arresting or apprehending armed Albanians.^[11]