Battle of Drashovica

Part of Albanian Resistance of World War II

Date	September, 14 - October 4, 1943
Location	Drashovicë, Albania
Result	Albanian victory

Belligerents

Albanian National Liberation Front
Balli Kombëtar
local volunteers

Nazi Germany

Commanders and leaders

Hysni Kapo

Strength

c. 2000

c. 3500

Casualties and losses

over 3000
about 7000 Italian prisoners freed

Coordinates: 40°26′49″N 19°34′52″E / 40.44694°N 19.58111°E / 40.44694; 19.58111

The Battle of Drashovica (Albanian: Beteja e Drashovicës) was a battle of the Albanian Resistance of World War II against Nazi Germany. The battle took place in late 1943, in the areas of Drashovicë and Mavrovë in south-western Albania in the region of Shushicë.

After the occupation of the Albanian Kingdom by the Kingdom of Italy in 1939, several resistance groups were formed. The most important of these groups were Balli Kombëtar (BK), a nationalist organization formed by Mit'hat Frashëri and Ali Këlcyra and the Albanian National Liberation Front (ANLF), which later became a Communist group led by Mehmet Shehu and Enver Hoxha.

After the victorious battle of Gjorm and the establishment of German troops in Albania, many former Italian encampments became German bases, while many Italian soldiers were imprisoned for defection. In the Shushicë valley in the barracks of Drashovicë and Mavrovë the German army had imprisoned about 7,000 Italian soldiers guarded by about 3,500 soldiers.

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Wikipedia