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Upon the arrival of Albanian forces, the Greeks split themselves in 2 parts, one marching to the village of Gjashtë and the other marching to the village of Qufa.The first Greek army led by Giorgos Stefanis was attacked by the first Albanian forces led by Idriz Alidhima in February 1878 in the Hills around Gjashtë. The fighting was fierce ...
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus (Greek: Αὐτόνομος Δημοκρατία τῆς Βορείου Ἠπείρου, romanized: Aftónomos Dimokratía tis Voreíou Ipeírou) was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars on 28 February 1914, by the local Greek population in southern Albania (Northern Epirotes).
Italy's invasion of Greece, launched with the divisions of the Royal Army based in Italian-controlled Albania, badly armed and poorly commanded, resulted in a setback: the Italian forces encountered unexpectedly tenacious resistance by the Hellenic Army and penetrated only a few kilometers into Greek territory and had to contend with the ...
The question of Epirote's autonomy has remained a pivotal point of contention in Greek-Albanian diplomatic relations. [73] In the 1960s, Soviet Union General Secretary Nikita Khrushchev requested that Albanian Head of State Enver Hoxha grant autonomy to the Greek minority in the region. This initiative, however, ultimately proved unsuccessful.
At least 145 Albanian villages in southern Albania were looted and destroyed by Greek forces in Northern Epirus. Accompanying this was the destruction of 48 Bektashi teqes, or shrines, at the hands of the Greek forces. In total, 80% of the teqes in Albania were either extremely damaged or destroyed entirely from 1914 to 1915. [53]
Greek troops crossed the southern Albanian border at the end of October 1914, officially reoccupying southern Albania, exclusive of Vlorë, and establishing a military administration by 27 October 1914. [30] The Italians were not happy with the Greek occupation and sent in Italian marines to occupy Vlorë, or Avlona, or Valona, as they called ...
But, soon after the Italian invasion, the Greeks counter-attacked and a sizeable portion of Albania was in Greek hands (including the cities of Gjirokastër and Korçë). In April 1941, after Greece capitulated to the German forces, the Greek territorial gains in southern Albania returned to Italian command.
Despite some success, the Greek forces in Albania lost the offensive capacity as the Italian defences was stiffened. As the German invasion of Greece was launched. Cavallero ordered Biroli, commander of the 9th Army to launch an offensive towards Western Macedonia, while Geloso's 11th Army would launch an attack aiming towards Argirocastro.