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In 1997, Albania experienced a tumultuous period marked by clashes between rival factions, leading to a surge in criminal activities. Vlora, in particular, gained notoriety for various forms of violence, including executions involving explosives, disappearances of individuals, and, more recently, sniper attacks.
The most recent case involving a sniper was the execution of 23-year-old Gëzim Sinomati, who was shot in the head while smoking a cigarette on his balcony. The crime, like many others, left behind a burned vehicle but no traces of the perpetrators.
The history of snipers in Albania dates back to 2000 when Ilir Bardhi, convicted for anti-tank killings of Denis Gina and Median Shehu in June 1999, became known.
The Rruga e Kavajës boys' story, which resulted in around 22 victims due to internal conflicts, took a dark turn when Ilir Bardhi, responsible for these killings, was executed with a Zigzauer sniper rifle in the high-security prison 313 in Tirana. The rare assassination occurred just three days before Bardhi was scheduled to testify about the murders of his former associates. Although one collaborator was arrested, Alban Dani, suspected to be the mastermind, was executed on Durres beach five days after Bardhi's death.
Another sniper execution involved Xhabir Shega in 2015. Having served over 10 years in prison for murder, Shega was also a suspect in another criminal case where five people lost their lives simultaneously. In 2014, Shega survived another sniper attempt in Shkodra's Castle, but in 2015, he was shot dead in his backyard, and the case remained unsolved.
Five years later, another sniper took the life of Kastriot Reçi in the center of Rrëshen. After stopping to meet a woman, Reçi was shot from a tall building with a bullet to the heart. His name did not appear in any police records. The police found the weapon, an Italian Sabbati sniper rifle stolen in Rahovec, Kosovo.
In 2020, Ardjan Capja became the target of another sniper attack in his yard. Police investigations revealed that the sophisticated weapon, a Finnish Sako M10, was discovered burned alongside his vehicle in Fushë Mbretit, Elbasan.
Before the Sinomati execution in January 2023, a sniper was used in September 2022. Akil Nerjaku, known as "Kili" from Shijak, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt when he was shot from a van while exiting his armored vehicle.
The utilization of snipers in criminal activities remains a dark chapter in Albania's recent history, marked by political unrest and internal conflicts.