Elez Isufi

Elez Isufi, born in 1861, was an Albanian patriot, Kachak and military leader, known for his prominent role in the Albanian resistance against the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) in the early 20th century, as part of the Kachak Movement, as well as the democratic uprisings against the regime of Ahmet Zogu in the 1920s.

Early life Elez Isuf Ndreu was born in the village of Sllove, Dibra in 1861. His family came from the village of Soricë in Zall-Dardhë, but they moved due to economic hardships. Although he himself was uneducated, Isufi advocated for the education of Albanian children and financially sponsored the opening of a school in the local area alongside the teacher Hoxhë Kalla.

Activities Elez Isufi is active against the Ottoman forces during the Albanian uprisings against the Ottoman Empire. In one clash on 4 May 1912, 11 Ottoman soldiers were left dead or wounded by Isufi's unit of fighters. Isufi and his band of guerrilla fighters resisted the advances of Serbian troops in 1912, After the Albanian Declaration of Independence, Isufi supported the new Albanian government that was headed by Ismail Qemali, aligning himself with figures such as Hasan Prishtina, Isa Boletini and Bajram Curri. Isufi and a number of fellow chieftains from Dibra did not join forces with Essad Pasha Toptani out of their loyalty to the Albanian government.

After the conclusion of World War I, the Serbs attempted to annex Dibër, where they were met with Albanian resistance led by Elez Isufi and Hazis Kotarja. As a close ally of fellow leader Bajram Curri, Isufi led yet another armed uprising in Dibra on 15 August 1921 to free the region from Serbian occupation, and the fighting continued up until December 1921.

When the so-called "Republic of Mirdita" began its uprising with the aid of Serb forces in 1921, Elez Isufi mobilised 1,000 fighters from Reçi, Dardha, Çidhnë and Lurë to fight against the pro-Serb forces and forced a unit of mercenaries to retreat to Arras, leaving them with around 100 dead troops.

Uprisings against the Zogist regime Elez Isufi took part in the uprising against the regime of Ahmet Zogu on 1 March 1922, in which Isufi's Dibran fighters were able to occupy Tirana. Isufi supported the Albanian patriot and political activist Fan Noli during the June Revolution of 1924, in which Ahmet Zogu was briefly overthrown by a democratic government before returning from exile with the aid of the Yugoslavs. Isufi was killed whilst fighting against pro-Zogist Yugoslav troops in the end of 1924.

Legacy Elez Isufi was the father of Cen Elezi, a prominent Albanian resistance fighter of World War II. Due to the constant trouble he posed to Serbian occupation, his Kulla was burnt down three times by Serb forces.