Prilep, Kosovo Explained

Prilep
Settlement Type:Village
Pushpin Map:Kosovo
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:District
Subdivision Name1:Gjakova
Subdivision Type2:Municipality
Subdivision Name2:Deçan
Unit Pref:Metric
Population As Of:2011
Population Footnotes:[1]
Population Total:2165
Timezone:Central European Time
Utc Offset:+1
Timezone Dst:CEST
Utc Offset Dst:+2
Coordinates:42.5°N 39°W

Prilep (Serbian: Прилеп), or Prejlep (Albanian: Prejlepi, other names: Prilep, Përlep, Perlep, Prilip) or Arrnjet (Albanian: Arrnjeti|link=no), is a village situated in western Kosovo, close to Gjakova.

Kosovo War

During the Kosovo War in 1998 the village was nearly completely destroyed. Militants of the Kosovo Liberation Army and Serbian forces fought each other near Prilep on the 2nd August 1998, where two Serbian Policemen were killed and the KLA pushed out of the village. The Serbian paramilitary gained control of the contested road connecting Gjakova and Pejë. Using a multi-barrel anti-aircraft gun mounted on top of an armoured vehicle, the Serbian paramilitary made their way through the devastated village house by house.[2] [3] 12 members of the Yugoslav forces and 4 Albanian militants died during the Serbian offensive.[4]

After the village fell in the hands of the Serbian forces, 4 civilians were killed of which 3 were Albanian and 1 was Egyptian. The village mosque that was built in 1686 was also subsequently destroyed.[5]

Demographics

In the 1485 Ottoman defter of the Sanjak of Scutari the village of Prilep is mentioned to have had 28 tax paying households.[6]

In the beginning of the 19th century, there were only about 5 to 10 houses, while today there are over 300.

According to the 2011 census, the resident population was 2,165, of which 2,157 are Albanians, 6 Egyptians and 2 others. The village is inhabited by 2,163 Muslims and 2 others.[7]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Ethnic composition of Kosovo 2011. pop-stat.mashke.org.
  2. Web site: KOSOVO: KLA FIGHTERS CLASH WITH SERB PARAMILITARY POLICE AP Archive. 2021-07-04. www.aparchive.com.
  3. Web site: KOSOVO: FUNERAL OF SERB POLICEMAN KILLED NEAR VILLAGE OF PRILEP AP Archive. 2021-07-04. www.aparchive.com.
  4. Web site: List of killed, missing and disappeared 1998-2000. kosovomemorybook.org.
  5. Web site: Administratori. Aktet gjenocidale të pushtetit serb. 2021-07-04. www.bajgora.com. sq-al.
  6. Book: Pulaha, Selami. Defteri i regjistrimit te Sanxhakut te Shkodres i vitit 1485. Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë. 1974. Tirana. 352. The Ottoman defter is not an accurate illustration of the ethnic composition of the village, since ethnicity was not recorded in the defter.
  7. Web site: Religious composition of Kosovo 2011. 2021-07-04. pop-stat.mashke.org.