Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac
The Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (LAPMB; Albanian: Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit, UÇPMB; Serbian: Ослободилачка војска Прешева, Медвеђе и Бујановца, ОВПМБ, romanized: Oslobodilačka vojska Preševa, Medveđe i Bujanovca, OVPMB) was an Albanian militant insurgent group fighting for separation from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia for three municipalities: Preševo, Medveđa, and Bujanovac, home to most of the Albanians in south Serbia, adjacent to Kosovo. Of the three municipalities, two have an ethnic Albanian majority, whilst Medveđa has a significant minority of them.
| Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac | |
|---|---|
| Ushtria Çlirimtare e Preshevës, Medvegjës dhe Bujanocit | |
| Leaders | Shefket Musliu Muhamet Xhemajli Ridvan Qazimi "Lleshi" † Njazi Azemi "Mjekrra" † Arben Ramadani † Bardhyl Osmani † |
| Dates of operation | 1999–2001 |
| Headquarters | Dobrosin |
| Active regions | "Ground Safety Zone", Preševo Valley, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia |
| Ideology | Albanian nationalism Greater Albania |
| Size | 5,000 (1,500 active) |
| Allies | Kosovo Liberation Army Albanian National Army National Liberation Army |
| Opponents | Yugoslavia KFOR |
| Battles and wars | Insurgency in the Preševo Valley
|
The UÇPMB's uniforms, procedures and tactics mirrored those of the then freshly disbanded Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). The 1,500-strong paramilitary launched an insurgency in the Preševo Valley from 1999 to 2001, with the goal of joining these municipalities to Kosovo. The EU condemned what it described as the "extremism" and use of "illegal terrorist actions" by the group.