Dibra e Madhe (Albanian) or Debar is located in western Macedonia near the city of Gostivar, and the border with Albania. Debar was an Illyrian city and it is surrounded by the mountains Desati, Stogovo and Jablanica. Debar is 625 meters above sea level, next to Lake Debar, the Drini i Zi (Black Drin) river and its smaller break-off river Radika. Almost all of the estimated 50,000 people living in Dibra are Albanians. The first recorded document mentioning Debar is the map of Ptolemy, dating around the middle of the second century, in which it is called Deborus. The Byzantine emperor Basil II knew of its existence, and Felix Petancic referred to it as Dibri in 1502. In the early 19th century when Debar rebelled against the Turkish Sultan, the French traveler, publicist, and scientist Ami Bue observed that Debar had 64 shops and 4200 residents. By the end of the century, the town had 15,500 residents, but after World War I, this number started to decline.

Historical violence

Dibra has been an Albanian stronghold against foreign occupation for centuries. During the time of the Albanian prince Gjergj Kastriot Skanderbeg, it played a major role in the Albanian-Osman wars. In the Battle of Dibra the Turkish military leader Hajredin Pasha and his army were overwhelmed and defeated by outnumbered Albanian population. Dibra was also significantly involved in the national Albanian movement and on November 1, 1878 the Albanian League of Prizren was accepted.

Other important dates

1889: The Council of Dibra decide to join the Union of Peja

1900: Dibra is the 1st Albanian city in Macedonia to use the Albanian language. The appointee of the Dibra Council participated in the National Council of Vlora

1912: Albanian warriors in Dibra continue fighting against Serb troops and successfully avoid foreign occupation September

1913: The Council of Dibra is one of the most important leading organizations against Slavic troops

Mafia violence

On July 17, skirmishes that had started earlier in the week in the Afrona coffee bar in the center of the city turned into heavy mob fighting in which militants from the two rival mafia families of Ame and Capa, chased each other shooting throughout the city. The violence lasted until early morning, but no one was killed and only one person was injured. Macedonian police then besieged Debar equipped with bulletproof vests, patrolling in attempt to quell any future violence. Both groups were involved in bloody confrontations during the 1999 presidential elections of Macedonia. The Ame Mafia family supports the Democratic Party of Albanians (DPA), while the Capa Mafia family supports the Party for Democratic Prosperity’s (PDP).