The II Assault Brigade of the Albanian National Liberation Army was formed in Shëngjergj, Tirana. It was formed with partisans and cadres from Tirana, Elbasan, Berat, Gjirokastra and other regions of the country. Initially it consisted of 450 people organized in 3 battalions. The brigade was led by a staff with commander Beqir Balluku and commissar Vasil Konomin. After the formation, it entered the war to clear the area of Cermenika and Dibra from enemy forces. In the 1943-1944 General Enemy Attack of the Winter, which took place in the area of Çermenika, Shëngjergji, Zaranika and Kërraba, it fought against the enemy forces, where it suffered heavy losses. At the end of December 1943, the forces of the II Assault Brigade went to the area of Tirana and carried out several combat operations, especially in Brar and Tujan. In April 1944, by order of the General Staff of the Albanian National Liberation Army, the II Assault Brigade moved to the province of Korça, where it was reorganized and filled with partisans and cadres. During the General Enemy Training of June 1944, the 2nd Assault Brigade fought in the Leskovik-Përmet area, crossed the enemy’s rear, cleared the Dangëllia area and fought against the enemy forces in the Leskovik-Kolonjë-Korçë-Devoll area; liberated Leskovik, Erseka and, in cooperation with the IX Assault Brigade, Korça and Bilisht, hit the enemy columns during the retreat on the Struga-Përrenjas-Librazhd road. 41 martyrs fell from its ranks. On 14.12.1944 he joined the VII Assault Division. (Pictured: 2nd Assault Brigade on inauguration day.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 296-297.
Photo: © Central State Archives
Graphic processing: AHCF
