The XX Assault Brigade of the Albanian National Liberation Army was formed in Protopapa of Korça. It was formed with fighters from the “Tomori”, “Hakmarrja“, “Skënder Çaçi“, “Reshit Çollaku” and “Fuat Babani” battalions from the district of Korça, as well as some volunteers from the city of Korça. With a force of 800 fighters organized into four battalions, the XX Assault Brigade struck and defeated the collaborationist forces operating in the Pogradec and Korça area, destroyed the Nazi garrisons in Qukës and Përrenjas and organized ambushes against the German convoys on the Qukës-Qafëthanë road. which caused a lot of damage. On October 22, 1944, its second battalion, in cooperation with the II Assault Brigade and the IX Assault Brigade, took part in the training for the liberation of the city of Korça. In the context of the Tirana war, on October 30, 1944, he organized an ambush against German convoys on the Qukës–Elbasan Road. On the night of November 11, in cooperation with the XV Assault Brigade, he liberated the city of Elbasan and settled in the Elbasan-Librazhd-Polis area, to help strengthen the popular power. The brigade was led by its headquarters with commander Riza Kodheli and political commissar Misto Treska. 31 martyrs fell from its ranks. At the beginning of 1945, he published the organ “Tribuna e partizanit“ (“The partisan’s tribune”). (In the photo: Partisans of the XX Assault Brigade.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 1, Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 306.
Photo: © Central State Archives
Graphic processing: AHCF
