Albesian Mataj (3 August 1982 – 28 February 1999) was a Kosovar Albanian teenager who served as a combatant in the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) during the Kosovo War (1998–1999). Born in Gjakova, then part of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Mataj joined the KLA's "Black Eagles" (Shqiponjat e Zeza) unit in 1998 at the age of sixteen. He participated in armed engagements against Serbian forces and was killed in action on 28 February 1999.
Mataj is noted for being one of the youngest members of the KLA to die while actively fighting. Following his death, he was posthumously honored as a "Dëshmor i Kombit" (Martyr of the Nation) by Kosovo authorities. He is interred in Gjakova, where a memorial has been erected in his memory, and annual commemorations are held on the anniversary of his death.
His life and service have been documented in several sources, including his Wikipedia entry, the DBpedia and Wikidata records, and articles on Kosovo-focused media outlets.
References
- Wikipedia entry on Albesian Mataj.
- DBpedia and Wikidata entries for Albesian Mataj.
- Radio Kosova e Lirë article on Albesian Salih Mataj.
- Military History Wiki entry on Albesian Mataj.