TIRANA, April 16 – The 24th anniversary of the mass exodus of Kosovo Albanians was commemorated in the city of Kukes, northeastern Albania, on Sunday. Kosovo Albanians started the march from the city of Mitrovica to arrive at the Tower of Hospitality in that city.
In March 1999, the Serbian army carried out ethnic cleansing of the Albanian population in Kosovo through repression, violence, imprisonment and murder, removing around 1 million people from their homes.
On April 16, 1999, the deportees left Kosovo to move mostly to Albania, where about 420,000 people took refuge in Kukes after crossing the border.
April 16 is known differently in Kukes as “Exodus Day” as a sign of thanks and respect for all those who opened their doors to welcome their Albanian brothers from Kosovo. One of the main symbols to commemorate this day is the Obelisk.
The tower was built as a sign of thanks to the Albanian people. It was built in the place where the tents that sheltered the Kosovar population were placed. Meanwhile, Kosovo Albanians started the march from the city of Mitrovica to the Tower of Friendship in Kukes today on the 24th anniversary of the Exodus, and all the event ended in the city of Kukes. /Argumentum.al
