| Albania Crisis | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Yugoslav soldiers in a forested area of Albania in search of seperatists | |||||
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| Belligerents | |||||
 Albanian separatists
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 Yugoslavia
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| Commanders | |||||
| Hazzan Cabur Gabril Fahat Tamer Chayk
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Mohamet Aktay Satir Hamadan Mihail Anđelković
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The Albania Crisis (Albanian: Kriza e Shqipërisë, Serbo-Croatian: Албанска криза, Albanska kriza) known by Albanian nationalists and separatists as the Freedom and Justice Struggle for Albania (Albanian: Lufta për Lirinë dhe Drejtësinë për Shqipërinë) is an on-going conflict between Albanian separatists and the Yugoslav central government.
During Albania's entry as one of the constituent states of the reunified Yugoslavia, this triggered hostile opposition from hardliner Albanian nationalists and Islamists. Many suspected that Albania's last president, Mohamet Aktay, was not a true ethnic Albanian and was a Serb disguised as an Albanian.
As a result, Islamists carried out attacks against ethnic Yugoslavians settling in Albania. The Yugoslav armed forces, pro-Yugoslav Albanian paramilitary and Albanian state forces were deployed to battle with the Islamists and separatists. Similar incidents occurred in Bosnia and Kosovo. The United Nations and NATO condemned Belgrade's handling of the situation, considering it a humanitarian crisis. The fact that Russia supported and backed Belgrade did not make the situation any better. Russia sent contigent forces into Albania and stated that it would not cease. Serbian battalions of the Yugoslav and Russian forces also employed military chaplains and missionaries, to convert Albanians to Eastern Orthodoxy. However, they soon stopped this, seeing as to how much the Albanian state government cooperated with them.
Seperatists also differ in how they see an independant Albania. While hardliners want nothing to do with Yugoslavia, some light proponents of independance prefer an independant Albania under Yugoslav sphere of influence.
History[]
Shortly after Mohamet Aktay signed the Belgrade Accords, large-scale opposition soon ensued, and a civil unrest followed between pro-Yugoslav Albanians and anti-Yugoslav Albanians. Aktay, as the Head Commander of the Albania State Force, called on the Yugoslav and Russian forces to help him put down the uprisings. The rioteers and resistors were put down and imprisoned. Afterwards, wealthy Yugoslavians, primarily from Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, began to settle in Albania for land development investments and other economic reasons. They established communities in Tiran. Hardliners led by Hazzan Cabur carried out attacks against the communities. As a result, the Yugoslav government ordered that all migrant settlers into Albania be protected by the military and paramilitary. Martial law was declared in Albania afterwards, with curfews being enacted, and troops and state police being stationed in every single street corner.
The Yugoslav government also enacted stringent gun laws against citizens from the State of Albania.
This caused heavy migrations of Albanians, many fled to Turkey, others to Canada and the United States. The Albanian government-in-exile currently finds its home in Turkey.