On the program Pressing, three soldiers of the Kosovo Liberation Army – Shyhrete Kastrati, Velvetie Zogaj, and Demrije Salihaj – shared firsthand experiences from the war, including the losses and moments that have remained forever etched in their memories.
Demrije Salihaj recounted one of the most harrowing testimonies of the evening, describing what happened on the day of the Reçak massacre, January 15, 1999.
“The Reçak massacre shook us all. We were very close, in the village of Petrova. Only a hill separated us from Reçak. That day, I was on guard duty from 6 a.m. Gunfire could be heard. One of my comrades warned me, ‘Be careful, something is happening; it’s not like the other days,’” she recounted.
About half an hour after starting her guard, the patrol delivered the news: “Raise the alarm; a terrible battle has occurred in Reçak.” Their unit immediately set off toward the village.
“About 15 minutes later, the first wounded soldier arrived, and I saw what was happening. After an hour, we reached Reçak, but we could not enter. I had to drag a corpse – a soldier, our comrade Shaqir. For me, it was an extremely traumatic experience, because every half hour more soldiers arrived, killed,” Salihaj testified.
