The People's Defense of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (Serbo-Croatian: Narodna Odbrana Zapadne Bosne, NOZB) was a paramilitary unit founded and led by Fikret Abdić that fought in the Bosnian War during the Yugoslav Wars. It served as the de facto army of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB).
| People's Defence of Western Bosnia | |
|---|---|
| Narodna Odbrana Zapadne Bosne | |
 | |
| Founded | 1993 |
| Disbanded | 1995 |
| Country |  Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia |
| Type | Paramilitary |
| Size | 10,000[1][2] (4,000–5,000[3] active) |
| Garrison/HQ | Velika Kladuša |
| Motto(s) | Živio Babo! |
| Engagements | Bosnian War |
| Commanders | |
| Commander-in-chief | Fikret Abdić |
| Chief of Staff | Hasib Hodžić[4] |
| Insignia | |
| Identification symbol |  |
Structure of the People's Defense of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia:[1][2]
Velika Kladuša brigade
The Golubovi unit
Military police
Police
Recruitment Center "Surovi"
From 12 June 1992 to 5 August 1995,[5] the NOZB fought against the 5th Corps and Croatian forces with support from Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serbian Krajina. The Research and Documentation Center in Sarajevo established that the communities that were under siege – Bihać, Bosanska Krupa, Cazin and Velika Kladuša – 4,856 people were killed or went missing from 1991 to 1995.[6] The APZB was wiped out completely during the Operation Storm, decisive Croatian offensive in Republic of Croatia, and supported by ARBIH 5th corps in area of Bihać on 4th to 7th of August 1995.[7]
On 2 June 1994, the 5th Corps, under the command of Atif Dudaković,[8] overran and seized the territory of Western Bosnia and Fikret Abdić fled to Zagreb for safety.[9] Around 40,000 Muslims loyal to Fikret Abdić fled to the Republic of Serbian Krajina.[10] The battle was a huge success for the ARBiH, which was able to rout Abdić's forces and manage to push the Serb forces from Bihać and abolish Western Bosnia temporarily.
On 4 November 1994, commanded by Franko Simatović[11][12] and Jovica Stanišić,[11][12] the Serbs counterattacked against the Bosnian forces, and ended in a Serb victory with the APZB being re-established. The APZB remained in existence until the fall of its key ally, the Republic of Serbian Krajina, and the subsequent end of the war.
In 2013, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued a decision that equated the rights of former soldiers of the NOZB with those of the members of the ARBiH and the HVO.[13]