Sali Çekaj (22 June 1956 – 19 April 1999) was a Kosovo Albanian commander of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Kosovo (FARK) and Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA). He was killed at the Battle of Košare on 19 April, 1999 during the fighting with Yugoslav forces. After the Kosovo War, he was declared Hero of Kosovo.
Sali Çekaj | |
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| Born | 22 June 1956 Broliq, Peja, FPR Yugoslavia (now Republic of Kosovo) |
| Died | 19 April 1999 (aged 42) Košare, Gjakova, AP Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia, (now Republic of Kosovo) |
| Allegiance | |
| Years of service | 1991–1999 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | 134th Brigade 138th Brigade |
| Commands held | Dukagjin Operational Zone, (Kosovo) |
| Battles/wars | Kosovo War |
| Awards | Hero of Kosovo (posthumously) |
Sali Çekaj was the first commander of the first-two military groups that had conducted military exercises between 1990 and 1991 in Albania. Part of those groups were also Adem Jashari and Zahir Pajaziti. Sali Çekaj since 1991 organized guerilla attacks on Serbian police stations in many villages in the Dukagjini region. He was also one of the main commanders of the Battle of Košare and he was the main chief drafter of the entire military operation plan of the fighting line in Battle of Košare. He was also part of Battle of Lodja and several battles in the Dukagjini region during the Kosovo War. After his death, he was given the decoration Hero of Kosovo. He was also honored with "The Flag" of Capitol Hill as the National Hero of Kosovo with approval of US senators.
Sali Çekaj as the leader of first Dukagjini guerrilla military forces and with Adem Jashari as the leader of the Drenica region and Zahir Pajaziti the leader of Llapi region, co-operated in guerrilla attacks on Serbian police stations since 1992. Because of his paramilitary activity he had difficulty staying in Kosovo and was wanted by Serbian police. He was a graduated lawyer, a career military officer and he was the first lawyer in Kosovo who started the implementation of the "Kaçanik Constitution" in the institutions of Kosovo at that time.
The name of Sali Çekaj appears in many activities of movements and political organizations from 1981 onwards, when he was involved in the demonstrations of that time. During the 90s, Çekaj contributed intensively to the extension and strengthening of the network of Albanians engaged in the movement for freedom, both in Kosovo and in the diaspora.
Political activist, military, mobilization organizer and commander in the Kosovo Liberation Army, Sali Çekaj turns out to be one of the most multidimensional profiles in the history of movements for the liberation of Kosovo from Serbia.
During the Kosovo War he had the nickname Veterani (the Veteran) because he was the first commander of the military groups in Kosovo.