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observed tanks, artillery,
multiple barrelled rocket launchers, mortars, APCs and
trucks full of VJ soldiers being assembled for the attack
and noted that the villages of Mlecane and Cerovik were
the first to be in flames (see below). In addition, the offensive between Pristina and Kosovska Mitrovica, especially west of Obilic and Vucitrn, continued. Villages north east of Mitrovica suffered extensive damage, rendering them uninhabitable. Artillery was also observed impacting east of the road from Glogovac to Srbica. The villages of Stari Trg, Bajgora and Kacandol had clearly been heavily damaged and KDOM considered this likely to have been caused by heavy weapons fire and burning, during the occupation of this area by MUP forces from 15 to 17 September. KDOM also observed columns of smoke to the north of Komorane but were denied access to the area. The VJ further denied KDOM access to the village of Gornje Lapastica, north west of Podujevo, because of ongoing military operations there, although it was clear that it was surrounded by VJ forces. On 25 September, heavy armour vehicles were observed deploying towards the north and KDOM also confirmed large MUP and VJ operations in the southern Drenica area, between Kijevo and Komorane. VJ self- propelled artillery units were firing to the north of Negrovce and MUP forces were observed 30 metres off the Pristina to Pec road, south of Mlecane, firing a mortar northwards in the direction of Cerovik and Plocica. In addition, Mlecane, Cabic and Cerovik, to the west of Glogovac, were themselves in flames, while Glogovac was engulfed in smoke. On 27 September, EU KDOM observed a large VJ convoy leaving Kosovska Mitrovica and moving in the direction of Pristina, noting that it was possible that these forces were being used for the operations in the Drenica area. It was thus evident that VJ and MUP units were continuing their offensive in the Komorane-Kijevo-Gornje Klina triangle and, as always, KDOM was denied access to this area. The village of Vucak appeared to have been systematically torched, as there was no evidence of fighting although half of the village was completely destroyed. To the north west of Klina, many villages were empty and houses appeared to have been looted. On 28 September, KDOM observed approximately 50 fires burning in the area to the south and east of Suva Reka - from Musutiste to Movjane. In addition, KDOM began to receive reports that this area had been shelled from Stimlje in the west. KDOM further reported a massacre site at Gornje Obrinje, with 14 confirmed deaths. Locals said that the offensive on this village had started on 23 September, when VJ, MUP and special forces had surrounded the village with tanks and APCs. After shelling, they entered the village and began looting and burning houses and killing livestock. By the end of September, villages in southern Drenica, north of Kijevo and Lapusnik, including Dobri Doh, Dobri Voda, Cabic, Cerovik, Mucubelj and Golubovac clearly bore the evidence of the recent MUP and VJ action. Villagers claimed that Serbian special forces had executed a number of their young men on 27 September. Later, KDOM visited the site of this alleged massacre in Golubovac and spoke to witnesses to the attack, as well as observing the graves of those killed. At the end of September, local Kosovars from the area of Strze, south east of Urosevac, told KDOM that villages in that region - including Vic, Kastanevo, Biti and Izhance - had been |