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54
CROATIAN FORCE OPERATIONS IN LIVANJSKO POLJE
AND WESTERN SLAVONIA
As might have been expected, the Serbian attacks on Bihać alarmed the Croatian
leadership, which could not just sit back and watch the Serbs carry the day. Th e
dilemma was where to provide assistance - by putting pressure on Okučani and
Knin in order to stretch hostile forces or by a breakthrough across Slunj in order to help
the ARBiH 5 th Corps. 69 In the meantime, on 3 November 1994 Croatian and Bosniak
forces liberated Kupres and the greater part of the Kupres plateau, opening up a new
possible route for the intervention of the Croatian army. Th e Split Corps District started
to prepare secretly for operations in Herceg-Bosna, specifi cally on Mount Dinara and in
Livanjsko Polje. 70
Th e fi rst operation of the Split Corps District (ZP Split) in the area was Zima ‘94
(Winter-94). Th e task of ZP Split was to rout Serbian forces along the stretch from
Livanjsko Polje to the state border on Mount Dinara, repel them as far as possible from
the Rujani-Sinj road and remain prepared for subsequent action. Th e main forces were
concentrated along the Razdolje-Troglav line, and auxiliary units along the Rujani -
Sajković line. In the eastern part of Livanjsko Polje the plan envisioned the crushing of
Serbian forces and pushing them off the western slopes of Mount Staretina, followed by
deep penetration towards the village of Bastasi in order to ultimately gain control over
the greater part of Livanjsko Polje and provide support for the main attacking forces.
Units of the 126 th Home Guard Regiment and HV 114 th Brigade were committed to the
attack. Th ey were opposed by the VRS 9 th Light Infantry Brigade. Th e command post of
OG Livno was set up in Livno. 71 In this operation the HVO mission was to attack Serbian
forces throughout the area of the Tomislavgrad Corps District from the village of Čelebić
in Livanjsko Polje to Kupreška Vrata. 72
Th e operation started on 29 November 1994 and lasted 29 days on very diffi cult
terrain and in adverse weather conditions, snow and low temperatures. Aft er the initial
success of the Home Guard and reserve units, units of the 4 th and 7 th Guards Brigades
69 H. Šarinić, «Svi moji tajni pregovori sa Slobodanom Miloševićem, 1993-95 (98)» (All My Secret Negotiations
with Slobodan Milošević, 1993-95/98), 170-171.
70 A. Gotovina, “Napadajni bojevi i operacije HV i HVO”(Off ensive HV and HVO Battles and Operations),
25-26.
71 SVA MORH, ZZPS: Split Corps District, cl. str. conf. 8/94-01/01, reg. no. 1080-01-94-180 of 16 November
1994. Attack order.
72 HR HB, GS HVO, cl. str.conf. 8/94-02/06-1, reg. no. 02-10-06/02-94-32 of 23 November 1994. Order for
the off ensive operation Op. no. 2.