KLA Summer offensive (1998)

KLA Summer offensive (1998)
Part of the Kosovo War
DateJune–August 1998
Location
Result

KLA strategic failure

Territorial
changes
  • KLA captures 40% of Kosovo (disputed)
  • Yugoslav forces regain control of most of the Eastern towns
  • Belligerents
    Kosovo Liberation Army FR Yugoslavia
    Commanders and leaders
    Ismet Jashari 
    Agim Çelaj 
    Ismet Tara
    Fatmir Limaj
    Agim Shala
    Goran Radosavljević
    Sreten Lukić
    Nebojša Pavković
    Units involved
    121st Brigade
    125th Brigade
    111th Brigade
    138th Brigade
    Yugoslav Army
    Serbian police
    Strength
    Several brigades Unknown number of personnel
    T-55 and M-84 tanks
    Armored vehicles.
    Casualties and losses
    30+ casualties 80 policemen killed
    Hundreds of Thousands of civilians displaced

    The Summer offensive (Albanian: Ofensiva verore e UÇK-së, Serbian: Летња офанзива ОВК; romanized: Letnja ofanziva OVK) was a large scale offensive by the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) against the Yugoslav Army and the Serbian police that took place in Kosovo in 1998.

    It began when the KLA switched their tactics from hit and run operations to conventional warfare. KLA forces began attacking towns and expanding their territory. KLA forces had captured about 40% of Kosovo, and set up “Operational Zones”. Although this has been disputed since the KLA denied access to observes in many areas. Yugoslav soldiers and policemen were attacked, leading to many casualties.