▁to ▁challenge ▁Ser b ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁region . ▁The ▁Alban ian ▁government ▁organ ised ▁armed ▁resistance ▁and ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 ▁Alban ians ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Isa ▁Bo let ini , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁War , ▁crossed ▁the ▁front ier . ▁After ▁an ▁eng agement ▁with ▁Ser bian ▁forces ▁the ▁Alban ian ▁forces ▁took ▁Deb ar ▁and ▁then ▁march ed , ▁together ▁with ▁a ▁Bulgar ian ▁band ▁led ▁by ▁Pet ar ▁Cha ou lev , ▁Milan ▁Mat ov ▁and ▁P avel ▁H rist ov ▁exp elled ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁army ▁and ▁officials , ▁creating ▁a ▁front ▁line ▁ 1 5   km ▁east ▁of ▁O hr id . ▁However , ▁another ▁band ▁was ▁checked ▁with ▁a ▁loss ▁at ▁M av ro vo . ▁Within ▁a ▁few ▁days ▁they ▁captured ▁the ▁towns ▁of ▁G ost iv ar , ▁Str uga ▁and ▁O hr id , ▁exp elling ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁troops . ▁At ▁O hr id ▁they ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁local ▁government ▁and ▁held ▁the ▁hills ▁towards ▁Res en ▁for ▁four ▁days . ▁During ▁the ▁conflict , ▁the ▁Greek ▁military ▁assist ed ▁Ser b ▁troops ▁to ▁qu ash ▁the ▁u pr ising . ▁The ▁supp ression ▁of ▁the ▁u pr ising ▁resulted ▁in ▁heavy ▁use ▁of ▁violence ▁by ▁Ser b ▁forces . ▁Sch olar ▁Ed vin ▁Pe zo ▁states ▁that ▁dep ict ions ▁of ▁Alban ians ▁as ▁' unc ult ured ' ▁and ▁‘ prim itive ’ ▁by ▁Ser b ▁national ists ▁of ▁the ▁time ▁were ▁a ▁possible ▁reason ▁for