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Leadership and structure
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| 24 August 2001 |
The NLA leadership at first kept its activities highly secret to prevent counter action by either the NATO-led Kosovo Force (KFOR) or the Macedonian security forces. During late 2000 rumours began circulating of a group calling itself the Armaj Kombetare Shiqitare (AKSh), or Albanian National Army (ANA), mounting attacks on Macedonian police posts along the border with Kosovo, but this group remained in the shadows and was subsequently eclipsed by the NLA in January 2001. The ANA group grew out of a split within the ranks of the LPK in the late 1990s and has since claimed responsibility for a series of attacks in Macedonia, culminating in the 8 August truck ambush in which at least 10 Macedonian soldiers died. Inside Macedonia it has little influence among local ethnic Albanian commanders, who all universally claim allegiance to the NLA, but it remains an indication that the leadership of the rebels could be divided about how to go forward.
The choice of the name, NLA or UCK, by the Macedonian-based rebel group is no accident and it is meant to signify the continuity of the struggle from the original KLA. The leadership of the NLA is still shrouded in mystery, with its leaders and spokesmen adopting noms de guerre when they meet Western journalists. So far a number - including Emrush Xhemali, the former security chief of KLA leader Hashim Thaci - have been identified as senior leaders. The ultra-nationalists' Swiss-based leader, Fazli Veliu, has been named in media reports as the chief financier of the rebellion. He remains president of the LPK. The renamed Liria Kombetare (National Freedom) fund has replaced Homeland Calling as the main source of money for the NLA. Adverts for fundraising events are regularly placed in the Swiss-based Albanian newspaper Bota Sot. Vaxhid Sedjiu is the LPK's director of fundraising in Switzerland.
Aid money is taken to Kosovo and Macedonia by personal couriers. Western intelligence agencies believe the NLA has amassed a war chest of $60 million from the Albanian Diaspora over the last six months.
Inside Macedonia the leadership is centred on the mountains above Tetovo in the village of Sipkovica. Ali Ahmeti, a KLA founder of Macedonian origin who has links to Ramush Hajredinaj, has taken on the role of political spokesman and negotiator with NATO. A senior KLA commander, Gezim Ostremi, deserted from his post as TMK chief of staff early in 2001 to take over as NLA chief of staff. Former Macedonian member of parliament Hisni Shaqiri also has a political/propaganda role. Over in the east, in the Black Mountains, Commander Mala is the main leader, along with his deputy, Commander Sokoli. This group has strong links to the family of murdered moderate KLA leader Commander Dreni from Prizren in Kosovo. Commander Hoxha, another KLA veteran, has a roving role of ‘NLA inspector’, overseeing major operations such as the seizure of Aracinovo in June.
Who are the NLA?
Origins
NLA aims
Control of territory
The NLA arsenal
Conclusion