Operation Return (2001)

This operation restored the state sovereignty of the FRY over the border belt of municipalities: Plav, Berane, Rožaje, Tutin, Novi Pazar, Raška, Brus and Kuršumlija.

[9] The preparations of the Yugoslav Army to enter Sector D of the Ground Security Zone (the border region of Medveđa municipality) began after the meeting of General Ninoslav Krstić with the representative of KFOR in Merdare near Kuršumlija on 2 April 2001.

After a successful operation during which there was no conflict, General Ninoslav Krstić praised the members of Operation Group South and especially praised the members of the battle group of police who occupied the Ravna Banja region – Moravce sector D. The situation in this sector after the entry of the Yugoslav Army was a staple and there were no provocations by Albanian rebels.

The action was carried out with the coordination of KFOR and by 24 May, the Army had occupied 90 percent of the B-South and B North zones without encountering any resistance from rebels.

During the occupation of the northern zone of sector B on 24 May, during the exchange of fire between the VJ and the UÇPMB, the rebel commander Ridvan Qazimi, in the area of the Guri Gat Hill (Black Stone) near Veliki Trnovac, was killed.

[10][12] After the death of Qazimi, various stories began to circulate in the south of Serbia, from killing the infected UÇPMB faction members about the distribution of the remaining plunder, to escaping to Kosovo and then to Albania.

He also praised the way B South and B North were occupied, adding that the Army will not enter Zone B Center, where the highest concentration of rebels is located, until 31 May.

In the presence of the President of the Local Community Dobrosin, Reshat Salihi, they found 2 anti-personnel mines, uniforms and military equipment, three radio stations, 100 medical items and others.

[9] After the Presevo valley conflict, low intensity skirmishes happened occasionally with the most recent one being in 2014 by a suspected Wahhabi member on the Serbian Gendarmery.