The “War of Dibra” commenced as a conflict against the Serbian and Montenegro armies that had occupied the lands of the Dibra province. The decision to start the war was made at a meeting of Dibra leaders held in the village of Arras in Peshkopia, under the guidance of Elez Isufi. Armed actions began in mid-August, during which the insurgents successfully liberated Peshkopia and forced the invaders to retreat to the designated border established in 1913. The actions of the liberation fighters received approval from the Albanian government. However, by the end of August, the Yugoslav government mobilized a significant number of forces to launch an attack aimed at reclaiming the Albanian territories. Faced with a substantial numerical superiority and an overwhelming advantage in weaponry, the liberation forces were compelled to retreat. The advance of the Serbian military units was characterized by terror inflicted upon the local Albanian population. Under orders from the war headquarters, a portion of the Dibran population was relocated to the left side of the Drin River. In early September, the government of Belgrade, alongside pro-Esadist military forces organized on Yugoslav territory, initiated a new offensive toward Central Albania. They advanced deeply into Albanian land, approaching the capital. In response to the situation, thousands of volunteers answered the Albanian government’s call to defend the homeland, leading to fierce fighting, particularly in Martanesh. Ultimately, by November 1921, the Yugoslav forces were compelled to retreat back to the Albanian borders as they existed in 1913, marking a significant moment in the struggle for Albanian autonomy and liberty. (In the photo: Insurgents in the Dibra War)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1544-1545.
Photo: © http://www.radiandradi.com/
Graphic processing: AHCF
