Prenk Cali
| Prek Cali | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
29 July 1872 Vermosh, Scutari Vilayet, Ottoman Empire now Albania |
| Died | 25 March 1945 (aged 72) Shkodër, People's Socialist Republic of Albania |
| Years of service | 1908–1945 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Commands held | Kelmend |
| Battles/wars | Albanian Revolt of 1908 Albanian Revolt of 1911 Albania during the Balkan Wars Uprising in Montenegro |
Prek Cali (1872–1945) was the bajraktar ("flag-bearer") of Vermosh, part of the Kelmendi tribe of northern Albania, noted for being a World War II militia leader that cooperated with the Fascists and Chetniks against the Partisans (communists). He was a veteran of the Albanian rebellions and the Balkan Wars. He was killed in 1945 by the Partisans.
Cali was born in Vermosh, part of the Kelmendi tribe, at the time part of the Scutari Vilayet (now northern Albania). He became the bajraktar ("flag-bearer") of Kelmendi. He participated in the Albanian revolts of 1908 and 1911 (fighting at Deçiq) against the Ottomans. He then participated in the Balkan Wars. He led his tribe against Montenegrin forces.
After the fall of Fan S. Noli's cabinet (1928), Cali came in conflict with King Ahmet Zogu while trying to establish autonomy for the Kelmendi tribe within the state.
At the beginning of World War II Prek Cali had between 200 and 1,200 armed men around Vermosh under his command. His forces took control over Plav and Gusinje in 1941, before Italian forces occupied it.
Cali participated in the Italian counter-offensive in August 1941, during the Uprising in Montenegro. Italian General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli reported that Albanian forces from Vermosh commanded by Cali supported Division Venezia that advanced from Podgorica to insurgent-controlled Kolašin and Andrijevica and re-occupied them despite fierce resistance.
Montenegrin Chetnik leader Pavle Đurišić was transferred to Plav in 1939, after Italian occupation of Albania, and was given a task to establish and maintain intelligence network to be used in case of Axis attack on Yugoslavia. This network was not much helpful during the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia but was successfully used for struggle against Communists in Montenegro and Albania. Pavle Đurišić successfully agreed on Prek Cali's support and bases for Chetniks on the territory of northern Albania, Plav and Gusinje. According to Rudolf Perhinek, Prek Cali was politically opposed to the Muslims from Kosovo and he openly admitted that he used Cali to inspire conflicts between Catholics and Muslims in northern Albania. Prek Cali invited Chetnik officer Marko Vučeljić to have a meeting in Vermosh, which was accepted, Vučeljić sent his brother Tomo to meet with him above Vermosh. Chetnik captain Marko Vučeljić established Chetnik military base in Vermosh. In 1943, Draža Mihailović paid Prek Cali for his services and also delivered him some arms.
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