| Battle of Hrvatska Kostajnica | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Croatian War of Independence | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Serbian Krajina |
 Croatia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Branko Dmitrovic Dragan Vasiljković |
Zvonimir Kalan   Nedjeljko Podunajec Janko Bobetko | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
File:Logo of the Yugoslav People's Army (1991–1992).svg Yugoslav People's Army
|
| ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,000 - 2,000 | 400 - 450 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| Unknown | Many killed, many surrendered | ||||||
The Battle of Hrvatska Kostajnica was a military engagement fought between SAO Krajina and the newly independent state of Croatia. The city suffered attacks a few days after Serbian “Operation Stinger” with the final decision to attack was made somewhere in August.[1] as Croatian president Franjo Tuđman was near the area.[2]
In 1990, With the defeat of the pro-serb republic in the 1990 Croatian parliamentary election and the 1991 Croatian independence referendum.[3] tensions worsened as the Yugoslav Peoples Army took away Croatia's Territorial Defense.[4] Croatia then made its First step and declared independence on June 25, 1991. clashes between Serb militias and Croatian Police occurred in Pakrac and in Plitvice Lakes.[citation needed] A war broke out with the Serb minority (Serbian Krajina) declaring itself as a state.[5] With the war beginning in 1991, Ending in 1995.[citation needed]
The Yugoslav People’s Army began their invasion of SAO Western Slavonia, Tanks and artillery were seen from across the Una. Intense artillery affected Hrvatska Kostajnica and the surrounding areas.[6] Low-scale fighting occured between July and Early August, which saw much Croatian sucess. Croatian Forces withdrew from Hrvatska Kostajnica briefly, re-entering the town on August 2nd. The 7th Banija Divison committed to occupying Hrvatska Kostajnica, with 1,000-2,000 troops. They outnumbered the Croatian Garrison of only 400-450 defenders. The 7th Banija Divison then cut off the road to Hrvatska Dubica, which is where the Croatian Garrison stationed in Hrvatska Kostajnica got most of their supplies from. The road was captured by Serb forces, but was reportedly re-occupied by the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit and the 120th ZNG Brigade. The rest of the fighting devolved into a Unsuccessful Croatian Counter-attack to relieve the besieged town of Hrvatska Kostajnica. The Serbs besieging the town began to push for a final attack, to break the stalemate and occupy Hrvatska Kostajnica. This push came on August 30, Serbian Forces captured the hill of Djed, that overlooked the town and was vital position. On the early morning of September 12th, Serbian forces captured 60 Croatian Policemen, who we're then brutally torturted, this was done to physiologically the Croatian Defenders. The situation then completely collapsed as a failed Croatian offensive to break out of the siege and reach Hrvatska Dubica. The elite Knin police, "Kninjas" (Serbian Cyrillic : (Knindže) arrived and broke-through the defenses of the town. They then forced the Croats into a section of the town near the Una (Sava).[7] The Croatian Defenders then surrendered and we're sent to the Manjača camp where they we're mistreated and executed.[8]
The attacks on Hrvatska Kostajnica we're a major success for the cause for Republic of Serbian Krajina, 60 Croatian Policemen captured, and many Capable and sufficient soldiers from the Zrinski Battalion and the 1st Guards Brigade (Croatia) were captured or killed.[7]
On the hill of Djed, Serb Forces tortured 60 Captured Croatian policemen, with the surrender of the Croatian garrison at Hrvatska Kostajnica, they we're sent across the Una specifically to the Infamous Manjača concentration camp.[1]
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