Komandant Drini-Ekrem Rexha

Ekrem Rexha (14 August 1961 – 8 May 2000) was a prominent commander of the Kosovo Liberation Army and political figure, who was killed under suspicious circumstances as part of a killing series in the early 2000s. He was always known as a smart person as he spoke 7 languages and had a degree in Political science.

Military career Service in the Yugoslav People's Army After graduating from the Yugoslav Military Academy he became a professional officer of the JNA and taught at the military academy in Sarajevo until 1993, when he was demobilized due to the escalating Civil War in Yugoslavia.

Rexha was soon appointed commander of the Vërrini region and succeeded in recruiting several locals for the KLA.

Political career After the war Rexha transitioned to a civilian role as the director of environment and safety for the Prizren Municipality with his degree in Political science,

He also played a vital role in establishing the KLA Veterans Association and began preparing for his doctoral studies in Canada.

His death and the following serial assassinations and suspicious deaths of former key-figures of the KLA, like Tahir Zemaj or Besim Mala in the early 2000s after the Kosovo War, remain an unsolved enigma in the early history of Kosovo under International Administration.

Investigations In order to clarify his murder, under the direction of the International Administration, two court proceedings were held in Prizren, but due to lack of evidence, the accused former members of the KLA and friends of "Drini", were released.

The process to solve the murder was later moved to higher courts in Pristina, where in another process a former war comrade, named Sali Veseli, who held the rank of General in the Kosovo Protection Corps, was accused of complicity in the murder. In first instance, the court in Pristina, found the accused guilty and sentenced him to 10 years in prison on March 24, 2003. On February 27, 2004, the Supreme Court of Kosovo, led by UNMIK judges, in the absence of evidence, cleared Veseli from all charges and later released him.

In recognition of his contributions, the former president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaçi, awarded Rexha posthumously with the title "Hero of Kosovo" and the Presidential Jubilee Medal for Independence. The awards were given to his wife Hajrije, who witnessed the murder of her man and was then seven months pregnant with their second child and his two sons, Ekrem and Drini, who received the awards on his behalf.

In 2018, the Municipality of Prizren, announced plans to establish a Memorial Complex dedicated to Ekrem Rexha. The complex will be located in front of a house named the “White House” and within a park near its entrance.

In 2024, the current President of Kosovo, Vjosa Osmani described Rexha as a loyal patriot who commitment to the ideals of freedom and statehood of Kosovo. Osmani also acknowledged that Rexha's work was instrumental in making Kosovo's freedom a reality.