Battle of Paštrik

The Battle of Paštrik or Operation Arrow was a two-week confrontation between the KLA with NATO's support against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999, during the Kosovo War. The main objective of the KLA forces was to open a route through the White Drin and the Mount Paštrik in order to secure the safe passage of weapons and personnel across the Yugoslav-Albanian border.

Battle of Paštrik
Part of the Kosovo War
Mount Paštrik view from Prizren
Date 26 May–10 June 1999 Location Paštrik, Kosovo, FR Yugoslavia (FR Yugoslav-Albanian border) 42°12′38″N 20°31′24″E Result Albanian offensive halted[1]
Belligerents
KLA  Albania  NATO	FR Yugoslavia
Commanders and leaders
Ekrem Rexha Sadik Halitjaha Wesley Clark	Nebojša Pavković Vladimir Lazarević (Priština Corps) Božidar Delić (Motorized Brigades) Stojan Konjikovac
Units involved
127th Brigade 128th Brigade[2] 82nd Airborne Division Albanian army	Priština Corps units 549th Motorized Brigade 72nd Brigade for Special operations Russian volunteers
Strength
1200 men (initial) American B-52[3] and A-10	450 men (initial) 1,000 men (May)
Casualties and losses
1400 killed[4] 500 wounded[5]	25 killed and 126 wounded (549th Motorized Brigade)[6][7]
Paštrik Location of Paštrik in Kosovo

KLA fighters managed to seize Mount Paštrik, its northern slopes and the village of Milaj, on the northern bank of the White Drin by the end of May.[8] In spite of heavy NATO air support, which included the use of USAF B-52 bombers, the Yugoslav Army held the line on the White Drin, where they build temporary bridges to maintain their supply lines open, supported by heavy mortars and artillery. The KLA was unable to make further gains, and only kept a foothole on the Paštrik peeks by the time of the Kumanovo Agreement on 9 June.[9]