| Battle of Holmec | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Ten-Day War | |||||||
 The JNA invasion of Slovenia during the Ten-Day War. The JNA capture of Holmec is seen in the top. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Slovenia |
 Yugoslavia | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Max Gorenšek |
Meh Rajko (MIA) | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
Territorial Defence National Police |
 JNA | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
220 territorial defence 40 police |
62 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
2 killed 3 wounded |
3 killed 6 wounded 45 captured 3 surrendered | ||||||
The Battle of Holmec (Serbian: Bitka za Holmeka; Slovenian: Bitka za Holmec) was one of the bloodiest clashes during the Ten-Day War.[1] The Yugoslav People's Army tried to take the border post of Holmec after a brief ultimatum. The units of the Slovenian Police and territorial defense stopped members of the JNA who were supposed to occupy the border crossing.[2] 220 members of the territorial defense and 40 policemen participated, against 62 members of the JNA.[2][3][4]
The 115th anti-sabotage company, 1st company of the 62nd Carinthian detachment, 1st platoon of the 97th assault detachment, 160th anti-sabotage platoon and the 32nd anti-aircraft battery of the Slovenian TO, as well as the 31st JNA corps were present at the battle.[2] After a shootout between both sides, the Holmec watchtower fell around 10 a.m. to Slovenian TO.[2]
Meh Rajko, the JNA commander at the battle of Holmec, deserted to the Slovenian National Police.[2] On the 28 June 1991, Slovenian TO members were filmed on the Austrian public broadcasting station ORF.[1][2][3][4] Video footage shows a small group of JNA soldiers standing or walking slowly with raised hands, holding up a white sheet in an apparent attempt to surrender. Moments later, gunfire is heard and the soldiers fall or jump to the ground. Holmec was the first border post in Slovenia to be liberated during the Ten-Day War.[5] Many Slovenian high-ranking officers left the JNA after the battle.[5]
