On March 18, 1908, Ottoman forces launched an assault against the guerrilla group led by Çerçiz Topulli. Despite being vastly outnumbered, Topulli’s group managed to break through the siege, marking a major victory.

This battle, known as the Battle of Mashkullora, was a significant turning point in the Albanian National Movement, which recognized armed resistance as a key means to achieve its political objectives.

One of the first major actions that echoed not just in Gjirokastër but also beyond the borders of the Ottoman Empire, was the assassination of Bimbashi Halil Musa Beu, the commander of the gendarmerie in Gjirokastër, by Çerçiz Topulli’s group in February 1908.

Furthermore, on March 18, 1934, 91 years ago, a statue of the national hero Çerçiz Topulli was unveiled in Gjirokastër. Created by sculptor Odhise Paskali, the statue was funded by the citizens of Gjirokastër and its Diaspora in America. The initiative was proposed by journalist Xhevat Kallajxhi, and the project was overseen by the Mayor of Gjirokastër at the time, Sami Kokalari. The unveiling ceremony was a grand event, further enlivened by a group of young people in traditional costumes, who sang and danced to songs dedicated to Çerçiz Topulli.

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