Participation in The War
Being formed at the end of the war, the battalion had no significant contribution in fighting the occupation forces. More than 60 Chams were killed during a battle with German forces in Igoumenitsa. Other Cham Albanians were enlisted in VI, VII, IX and XI brigade of Greek People's Liberation Army, and fought in different mixed battalions of ELAS. After ELAS managed to enter Epirus, the battles of the battalion were against EDES, led by Napoleon Zervas. This was one of the reasons why EDES forces and the British Mission in Greece, attacked Cham Albanians when they controlled Epirus. The majority of battles occurred until 27 June 1944, when EDES forces started the ethnic cleansing of the region. After their expulsion, they formed in Albania the National Anti-Fascist Cham Committee, which was disbanded in 1947, when Cham Albanians lost their refugee status.
Read more about this topic: 4th "Ali Demi" Battalion
Famous quotes containing the words participation in and/or war:
“We have no participation in Being, because all human nature is ever midway between being born and dying, giving off only a vague image and shadow of itself, and a weak and uncertain opinion. And if you chance to fix your thoughts on trying to grasp its essence, it would be neither more nor less than if your tried to clutch water.”
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–1592)
“... it is a commonplace that men like war. For peace, in our society, with the feeling we have then that it is feeble-minded to strive except for one’s own private profit, is a lonely thing and a hazardous business. Over and over men have proved that they prefer the hazards of war with all its suffering. It has its compensations.”
—Ruth Benedict (1887–1948)