Albert Sylaj arrested after two days on the run

Albert Sylaj, wanted as a suspect in the killing of Arlinda Zekaj in Vitomiricë, Peja, was arrested on Tuesday evening after two days on the run.

Kosovo Police said the suspect was found in Deçan and arrested at around 11:40 p.m. According to police, the operation followed intensive operational and investigative work and cooperation with members of the public, whom they thanked for helping locate him.

During the evening, several media outlets reported that Sylaj had been found in a mountainous area near the village of Bec, Gjakova. Gazeta Sinjali reported that he had contacted the authorities from Deçan and told them he did not want to surrender to investigators, but only to members of the FIT special unit. According to the same outlet, he spoke to his brother over the intercom and asked for ten minutes to talk with his family before surrendering.

Klan Kosova, citing sources from the FIT unit, reported that the arrest took place after resistance and a meeting with family members. So far, police have not released official details about the circumstances of the operation.

Special units from the Regional Police Directorates in Gjakova and Peja, as well as other units from Prishtina, took part in the search for Sylaj.

Earlier in the day, Ermal Panduri, host of the “Debat Plus” program on RTV Dukagjini, reported that while on the run, Sylaj had sent threatening messages to police, saying he would not surrender alive.

Sylaj was wanted for the criminal offense of “Aggravated murder.” He is suspected of killing his former sister-in-law, 49-year-old Arlinda Zekaj, with an axe on October 25 at around 9:00 p.m. The incident took place just minutes after she had returned home from the Peja Police Station, where she had reported domestic violence.