Today marks 28 years since the first public appearance of the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), a pivotal moment in Kosovo’s modern history.
The date 28 November is not only celebrated as Albania’s Flag Day, but in Kosovo it also carries profound historical significance. On 28 November 1997, in the village of Llausha, Skenderaj, the KLA stepped onto the public stage for the first time, signaling a new phase in the resistance against Serbian oppression.
The event that prompted the KLA to go public was the killing of local schoolteacher Halit Geci by Serbian forces two days earlier. His funeral became the moment when Rexhep Selimi, Daut Haradinaj, and Mujë Krasniqi appeared before the public as uniformed KLA soldiers, an act that marked the beginning of an openly organized armed resistance.
According to KosovaPress, the KLA’s first public declaration was prepared by the soldiers themselves, reflecting the movement’s early grassroots structure and determination.
