National Liberation Front of Albania

National Anti-Fashist Liberation Movement
Lëvizja Antifashiste Nacionale Çlirimtare Participant in the Albanian resistance during World War II
Flag used by the Partisans
Active	1939–1945
Ideology	Communism Marxism–Leninism
Leaders	Enver Hoxha
Headquarters	Pezë
Area of operations	Axis-occupied Albania
Size	70,000
Became	Albanian People's Army
Allies	Yugoslav Partisans  Soviet Union
Opponents	Axis powers  Germany  Italy Balli Kombëtar
Battles and wars	Albanian resistance during World War II

The National Liberation Movement (Lëvizja Nacional-Çlirimtare or Lëvizja Antifashiste Nacional-Çlirimtare (LANÇ)), also translated as National Liberation Front, was an Albanian resistance organization that fought in World War II. It was created on 16 September 1942, in a conference held in Pezë, a village near Tirana. Apart from the communist figures which had the majority in the General Council it also included known nationalist figures like Myslym Peza, etc. The Albanian National Liberation Front was later transformed in May 1944 in the government of Albania and its leaders became government members. It was replaced in August 1945 by the Democratic Front.

The Albanian National Liberation Army (Albanian: Ushtria Nacionalclirimtare) was the army created during the National Liberation Movement.

Albania did not put an organized resistance to the Italian invasion (April 7–12, 1939). However different Albanian groups of patriots such as Mujo Ulqinaku and Abaz Kupi made a brief resistance to the invasion force in Durrës on the day of invasion. Durrës was captured on April 7, Tirana the following day, Shkodër and Gjirokastër on April 9, and almost the entire country by April 10.

At the time of the Italian invasion, the Shkodër communist group included Qemal Stafa, a student, Vasil Shanto, an artisan, Liri Gega, an intellectual, Imer Dishnica, a doctor, Zef Mala and others. The leaders were Mala, Shanto, Stafa and Kristo Themelko. The Shkodër group's activities also spanned over Kosovo and western Macedonia, and the organization included several emigrants from Gjakova and other places in Kosovo, who had moved to Albania between 1930 and 1937. In spring 1941, Shanto and Stafa met with fellow Communist Fadil Hoxha due to his earlier contact with Yugoslav communist Miladin Popović.Miladin Popović and Dušan Mugoša were the Yugoslav delegates that helped unite the Albanian communist groups in 1941.