Shaban Polluzha

Shaban Kastrati (1871 – 21 February 1945) better known as Shaban Polluzha was an Albanian military leader in Kosovo[a].

He was the son of Mustafë Rexhep Kastrati from the village of Polluzha, in the Drenica region. During World War I he fought with the Entente against Bulgaria and Austria. Later he fought against Yugoslavia. In 1921 he was elected a deputy of Drenica. In 1941 he was interned by the Italian army and when he was released he fought against them.[1]

Thousands of Vulnetari together with gendarmerie commanded by Bislim Bajgora and Shaban Polluzha attacked Ibarski Kolašin on 30 September 1941, killing 150.[2] Chetniks[3]

In 1943, he set up a band of volunteers to fight the "terror tactics and cleansing actions" of the Chetniks.[1]

Because of promises of self-determination for Kosovo by the Yugoslavs, in World War II, he joined the partisan forces and fought to expel the Germans from Kosovo, believing Kosovo would reunite with Albania afterwards.[1] Once realizing he had been deceived, he refused orders to send his men to Srem to drive out the retreating Germans, instead, staying in Drenica. The Yugoslav partisans then attacked him encountering strong resistance for two to three months.[1] He was eventually killed in the village of Tërstenik, in 1945, during a battle with the Yugoslav partisans.[1]

Sources

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Robert Elsie (1 December 2010). Historical Dictionary of Kosovo. Scarecrow Press. p. 219. ISBN 978-0-8108-7231-8. Retrieved 30 August 2012.
  2. ↑ Antonijević, Nenad. Stradanje srpskog i crnogorskog civilnog stanovništva na Kosovu i Metohiji 1941. godine. p. 362. Više hiljada vulnetara i žandarma pod komandom Bislima Bajgore i Šabana Poluže napali su Ibarski Kolašin 30. septembra....Vulnetari su u Ibarskom Kolašinu 1941. ubili 150 ljudi.
  3. ↑ http://sandzakpress.net/acif-ef-hadziahmetovic

Notes and references

Notes:

a. ^ Kosovo is the subject of a territorial dispute between the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Kosovo. The latter declared independence on 17 February 2008, but Serbia continues to claim it as part of its own sovereign territory. Kosovo's independence has been recognised by 108 out of 193 United Nations member states.