The Ljuboten clashes, (Macedonian: Љуботенските судири, Albanian: Përplasjet e Lubotenit), also referred to as the Ljubotenski Bacila massacre,[12] (Macedonian: Масакрот на Љуботенски Бачила), happened on 10 August, 2001, when a Macedonian Army truck convoy composed of reservists ran over a landmine near the village of Ljuboten, killing eight men.[13] Immediately after the attack fighting between Albanian rebels and Macedonian forces erupted.[14][15] The Macedonian government officially blamed the NLA for the attack.[16] The leader of the NLA, Ali Ahmeti, did not confirm NLA involvement in planting the mines, suggested the devices might have been placed by government forces to prevent rebel crossings, and expressed his regret at the incident.[17]
Two days after the attack, Macedonian forces surrounded Ljuboten and killed ten Albanian civilians.[16] The Macedonian Army surrounded Ljuboten and shelled the village with helicopters and heavy artillery, during the shelling 2 Albanian civilians, one elderly man and a 6-year-old girl were killed.[19] Following the shelling Macedonian reservists entered the village and started to carry out the killing of six individuals, shooting them either in the head or the back, including a 6-year-old boy.[19][20][21] Later one man was stabbed to death in the presence of his paralyzed father.[19] The remains of a 35-year-old man were also found near the village, by his relatives, 6 days after the incident.[19] On 12th June 2001, a small faction of NLA fighters led by Muzafer Agushi [sq] deserted from the NLA to return to Ljuboten. Their primary objective was to rescue wounded civilians in the village amid the ongoing massacre. Muzafer Agushi lost his life on that very day.[22]
After a investigation by the Human Rights Watch, it was concluded that no NLA members were present in the village during the incident.[19][16]
^"Ali Ahmeti: "NLA Supports the Peace Agreement" Posted August 11, 2001". Alb net. National Albanian American Council. Archived from the original on 2016-10-17. Retrieved 3 July 2022. The NLA has signed an agreement with NATO, where both parties have no right of movement, that is why today I am expressing my regret that the Government troops have entered the mountain road and have stepped on mines which we have not confirmed whether they have been planted by our soldiers or by government forces themselves, so that they could prevent the movement of the NLA in those areas. So again, I express regret for this accident.
