Ismet Jashari

Ismet Jashari, also known as Komandant Kumanova was an Albanian member of the UCK movement who was killed on 25 August 1998 in Klecke Kosovo. The Ismet Jashari-Kumanova Brigade^[1] of the KLA is named in his memory.

Jashari had left Switzerland where he lived to join the UCK to fight against Serbian military and police forces under the command of former Serbian President Slobodan Milosevic.

Early life

From his fathers side, the Jashari family migrated to Macedonia in the early 1910s from Vranje in south-Serbia when there were a significant minority of ethnic Albanians living there. His mother came from the Emini family of Lipkovo near Kumanovo in Macedonia.

During the 70's and 80's Ismet Jashari was active on promoting democracy and freedom in the Communist Federation of Yugoslavia, these actions had him arrested several times and also the main factor which made him flee to Switzerland where he worked with construction.

Ismet Jashari has two brothers and five sisters. One of the brothers is Jemail Jashari who is a MP in the Macedonian Parliament today, representing the Albanian political party BDI (Bashkimi Demokratik për Integrim). The second brother is Murat Jashari who was arrested for illegal weapon trade during the Kosovo Wars by Swiss authorities.

Legacy

In 2011 a monument dedicated to him was inaugurated in Lipkovo Municipality, Republic of Macedonia.

References