Yannis Behrakis (1960-2019) – Kosovo & Albania, 1997-1999 (Reuters)
[ Award-winning photographer who covered the most tumultuous events around the world ]
“Behrakis was one of Reuters’ most decorated photographers. Both his skills as a photographer and his bravery won him widespread respect. Colleagues who worked with him in the field said Reuters had lost a talented and committed journalist.” – [ Independent, UK, March 2019 ]
Yannis Behrakis, 1998 – Kosovo
An ethnic Albanian man places the body of two-year-old Mozzlum Sylmetaj into a coffin next to the coffins of three other family members killed by Yugoslav army troops as they were crossing into Kosovo from Albania. The family had fled into Albania from violence in Kosovo but decided to return to their village after reports of a peace deal. The Yugoslav army said the family were with Kosovo Liberation Army guerrillas and were killed in an exchange of fire with border troops.
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1997 – Albania
An Albanian man carries a child to a US Marine CH53 Super Stallion helicopter as it lands at Golame beach near the port of Durres.
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1997 – Albania
Two Albanians watch a US marine CH53 Super Stallion helicopter take off from Golame beach near the port town of Durres. The marines stormed out of helicopters onto Golame Beach to rescue American, Turkish and Italian citizens from the chaos of Albania as many frantic Albanians attempted to jump onboard. The helicopters kicked up blizzards of stinging sand as they landed and marines used rifle butts to beat off Albanians trying to board the aircraft and escape their country
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1997 – Albania
An Albanian boy begs a US Marine guarding a helicopter on the beach at Golame. The boy was one of hundreds of Albanian civilians who rushed to the helicopters in a vain bid to escape the country. The Sea Stallion choppers had been sent to evacuate US, Italian and Turkish nationals
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1999 – Kosovo
Ethnic Albanian Flutura Pllana (18 at the time), cries in front of the burning house of her uncle after Serbian police and troops set fire to the house after encircling and shelling the village of Stitarica, northeast of the regional capital Pristina
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1999 – Kosovo
Ethnic Albanian villagers form a line to pay their respects to the family of two victims of an outbreak of ethnic violence, in Kosovo.
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1998 – Kosovo
An ethnic Albanian boy from Kosovo carries a refugee child into Albanian soil to escape fighting in Serbia’s turbulent Kosovo province. The refugees walked more than 30 hours from their western Kosovo villages in the Decane area.
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1997 – Albania
Albanians scramble over an old fishing boat in a desperate bid to board a Greek frigate which docked in the port of Durres to evacuate Chinese and Iranian diplomats. Thousands of Albanians stampeded through police lines in their unsuccessful effort to reach the Greek naval vessel
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1999 – Kosovo
A Kosovar woman stands in front of more than 10,000 ethnic Albanian refugees and pleads for Macedonian policemen to let her walk into Macedonia from the buffer zone between Yugoslavia and Macedonia
(Reuters)
Yannis Behrakis, 1998 – Kosovo
An ethnic Albanian villager looks through a bullet hole in a bus window in the village of Lapusnik. The bus was destroyed during fierce fighting between Serbian forces and ethnic Albanian separatists.
(Reuters)
