13 Facts About Shaban Polluzha

Shaban Mustafe Kastrati, known as Shaban Polluzha, was a Kosovo Albanian military leader of Drenica Bagade which was formed in December 1944 to support the 6th Albanian communist Brigade during World War II.

Shaban Polluzha served in the Royal Albanian gendarmerie and as a commander of the Vulnetari militia.

Shaban Polluzha was briefly a member of the Balli Kombetar.

Shaban Polluzha came from a middle-class family and he was not educated, but as a young man he became involved in political life, which was imposed on him by the circumstances and injustices of the occupying regimes.

Shaban Polluzha fought against the Bulgarians and Austrians during the First World War, afterwards he fought for the Kacak movement against the Kingdom of Yugoslavia.

Shaban Polluzha was one of the most famous commanders of the Drenica area during the Second World War.

Shaban Polluzha was a member of the Islihat Council and on the proposal of Miftar Bajraktari he was appointed chairman of the Islihat in Drenica.

Shaban Polluzha became commander of the Drenica Brigade which was founded in December 1944 to support the Sixth Albanian Brigade.

Shaban Polluzha was later arrested in Mitrovica, and his loot was confiscated.

However, Shaban Polluzha was very hesitant and rejected the order, saying that he wanted to stay in Kosovo and defend his home region of Drenica against attacks on Albanians by Chetnik groups.

Shaban Polluzha's force was then attacked by Yugoslav Partisan units in January 1945.

Shaban Polluzha was killed by Serbian Partisans in Trstenik on 21 February 1945.

Shaban Polluzha was posthumously awarded as "Hero of Kosovo" by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci in 2012.