storm - Hrvatski memorijalno-dokumentacijski centar Domovinskog ...

were committed to the attack and made additional inroads. Operations in the eastern
part of Livanjsko Polje were also successful. By the end of the operation Croatian forces
liberated an area 20 km deep and 10 km wide. Serbian forces were thrown back to the
line: Zeleno Brdo - Škašin Vrh - Bat- Točila - village of Grkovci - slopes of Mali Orlovac
- Orlovac - village of Nuglašica - Talijanov Vrh - Pitoma Kosa - Tavanak. 73 Th e Croatian
attack put Knin at risk from the hitherto safe area of Republika Srpska. In the fi rst days
of the operation the SVK General Staff tried to commit smaller forces of the North
Dalmatian Corps and bolster the defence of the VRS 9 th Light Infantry Brigade and throw
the Croatian forces back beyond the kickoff line. 74 However, the attempt failed. Because
of the continued breakthrough of Croatian forces, in particular the capture of the village
of Pržine on 23 December 1994 and the rolling back of Serbian forces to Nuglašice -
Grkovci, it was decided to redeploy VRS forces from other theatres, including the one
in Bihać, towards Bosansko Grahovo and Glamoč. Under heavy snowfall, by the end
of December two VRS brigades and two battalions from the 1 st Krajina, Herzegovinian
and East Bosnian Corps were deployed in the Grahovo-Glamoč area. 75 Th eir arrival
stopped the panic and the evacuation of the population ceased, especially from the
Glamoč area. 76 Aft er assembling, the Serbian forces attempted a counterattack in order
to drive the Croatian units out of the villages Sajković and Čelebić. 77 Although relatively
frequent, the attacks were of lower intensity and analogously lower eff ect. Serbian units
were not able to sustain their minor success. 78
Th e reinforcement of positions in the Grahovo-Glamoč area was disadvantageous
for the Serbian leadership because it halted the attacks on Bihać. Because of rumours
circulating among the troops of a VRS brigade, manned by Serbs from the municipality
of Bihać, they were informed that the Bihać operation had ground to a standstill
temporarily “because of the situation in the Grahovo-Glamoč theatre; once control
is again established, the operations against Bihać will continue until the 5 th corps is
defeated. Th erefore, Bihać is not being forfeited”. 79
73 A. Gotovina, “Napadajni bojevi i operacije HV i HVO” (Off ensive HV and HVO Battles and Operations),
28-32.
74 HDA, RSK: GŠ SVK-IKM of 5 December 1994. Order op. no. 11/1.
75 HDA, RSK: Command of the 2nd KK; str. conf. no 3693-6 of 23 December 1994. HDA, RSK: Command
of the 2nd KK; str. conf. no. 2/1369 of 23 December 1994; Regular battle report. HDA, RSK: Command of
the 2nd KK; str. conf. no. 2/1 -370 of 24 December 1994; Regular battle report. HDA, RSK: Command of the
2nd KK; str. conf. 2/1-372 of 26 December 1994; Regular battle report. HDA, RSK: Command of the 2nd
KK; str. conf. no. 2/1-373 of 27 December 1994; Regular battle report. HDA, RSK: Command of the 2nd KK;
str. conf. no. 2/1-374 of 28 December 1994; Regular battle report.
76 HDA, RSK: Command of the 2nd KK; str. conf. no. 2/1-374 of 28 December 1994; Regular battle report.
77 HDA, RSK: Command of the 9th light infantry brigade; str. conf. no. 11-33 of 30 December 1994; Excerpt
from the attack order.
78 SVA MORH, ZZPS: OG Livno, cl. 81/95-01/16, reg. no. 1085/5-01-95-2 of 8 January 1995; Daily operational
report. SVA MORH, ZZPS: OG Livno, cl. 81/95-01/16, reg. no. 1085/5-01-95-3 of 9 January 1995;
Daily operational report. SVA MORH, ZZPS: OG Livno, cl. 81/95-01/16, reg. no. 1085/5-01-95 of 12 January
1995; Special report. SVA MORH, ZZPS: OG Livno, cl. 81/95-01/16, reg. no. 1085/5-01-95-11 of 22
January 1995; Daily operational report.
79 SVA MORH, GSHV: Command of the 15th light infantry brigade; conf. no. 2 of 6 January 1995; Information
on current issues. Th e information was captured by the ARBiH 5th Corps and sent to General Bobetko
on 19 January 1995.
55