[5] As soon as Kosovo's autonomy was abolished, a minority government run by Serbs and Montenegrins was appointed by Serbian President Slobodan Milošević to oversee the province, enforced by thousands of heavily armed paramilitaries from Serbia-proper.

[6] The group quickly gained popularity among young Kosovo Albanians, many of whom favored a more aggressive approach and rejected the non-violent resistance of politician Ibrahim Rugova.

[8] The group's popularity skyrocketed after the VJ and MUP attacked the compound of KLA leader Adem Jashari in March 1998, killing him, his closest associates and most of his extended family.

[9] On August 14, the Kobra unit orchestrated the evacuation of civilians and numerous wounded individuals from Junik, situated between the villages of Đocaj and Jasić.

[10] On August 15, 1998, Agim Ramadani, the commander of the 138th Brigade of the Kosovo Liberation Army, orchestrated Operation "Eagle" with the objective of assaulting the Žilović police station and Yugoslav forces in Voksh and Sllup, in the Deçan Municipality.

[11][12] Agim Ramadani withdrew to the Yugoslav-Albanian border and immediately after the attack, on the same day, at 12:30 am, Yugoslav forces launched a large-scale operation in the Deçan area.