Sali Çekaj

Sali Çekaj was a commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army and an Albanian activist. He was born on June 22, 1956 in the village of Broliq in the Municipality of Peja and died on April 19, 1999 in Koshare while fighting with Serbian forces. He took part in the Battle of Koshare, the Battle of Loxha and several battles in the Baran Valley as commander on the 134th Brigade. Since 1991 he had organized guerrilla attacks on Serbian police stations in many villages in the Dukagjini region. Sali Çekaj was the leader of the first organization military group of the Republic of Kosovo with 34 people that was deployed on 08/12/1991 in Albania, part of that group was also Adem Jashari. Sali Çekaj had connection with Adem Jashari and Zahir Pajazit as leaders of three regions: Sali Çekaj the leader of Dukagjini region, Adem Jashari the region of Drenica and Zahir Pajaziti the region of Llap. They co-operated in guerrilla attacks on Serbian police stations since 1992. Because of his national activity he had difficulty staying in Kosovo and was persecuted by Serbian police, even so he never stopped working and fighting for his country to become free and independent. Because of his early national activities during the Kosovo War he had the nickname "Vetrani" (the Veteran). After his death he was given the decoration Hero of Kosovo.[1][2]