KOSOVO: ATTACK

(7 Jul 2000) Eng/Albanian/Nat
XFA
A former Kosovo Liberation Army commander was wounded on Friday in a shootout with a family allied with his ethnic Albanian political rival, Brjar Bukoshi.
The attack raises concern about political violence within the ethnic Albanian community ahead of local elections planned for October.
Ramush Haradinaj a former KLA commander-turned-politician, arrived with his cousin at the house of a rival gang and a firefight ensued.
During the shootout grenades were fired at a car parked outside the house and surrounding buildings were riddled with bullet holes.
It's believed Ramush went with supporters to the house to settle old scores.
Bukoshi's supporters at the Musaj household were armed only with light weapons but one of the family managed to grab a hand grenade from Ramush's men and launched it at them, wounding Ramush.
Ramush leads the Alliance for the Future of Kosovo.
Bukoshi is also a former K-L-A commander and is a former Prime Minister of the Kosovan government when it was in exile before the war.
SOUNDBITE: (Albanian)
"We fired on them and they were wounded in the garden in front of our house. We wounded them. We had no alternative, it was self-defence. We opened fire with light weapons but I took one hand grenade from Ramush's boys and I threw that hand grenade at them - that's how Ramush was wounded."
SUPER CAPTION: Sadik Musaj Alb, political rival of Ramush
Bukoshi was not at the house at the time of the attack.
The rivalry between the two groups dates back to before the war - it is not the first time that Ramush's aggression has backfired.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We didn't act in an aggressive way, we wanted only to work, to go on our work."
SUPER CAPTION: Ramush Haradinaj, Alliance for the Future of Kosovo leader
NATO spokesman Major Scott Slaten confirmed the attack and said Haradinaj was taken to the U-S military hospital at Camp Bondsteel.
SOUNDBITE: (English)
"Mr Haradinaj requested medical assistance earlier during the day. A KFOR Italian helicopter was despatched to bring Mr Haradinaj to Camp Bondsteel. He arrived around 2:30pm and is currently receiving a medical evaluation at the combat support hospital. As of 4pm KFOR medical officials have stated that Haradinaj is being treated for a two inch laceration that is not considered life-threatening at this time."
SUPER CAPTION: Major Scott Slaten, NATO spokesman

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