DAY OF THE IGMAN BRIGADE MARKED, THE SACRIFICE MADE BY THE PEOPLE OF HADŽIĆI MUST NOT BE FORGOTTEN

BRATUNAC, MAY 24 /SRNA/ - The Igman Brigade of the Army of Republika Srpska defended the Serbian people and Hadžići with great sacrifices, but it must not be forgotten that after the signing of the Dayton Agreement, they had to leave that territory and continue their lives in other areas, it was highlighted at the commemoration of the Brigade Day in Bratunac.

This brigade defended and secured positions around Hadžići and participated in the defense on other battlefields around Sarajevo. The remains of 187 members of this brigade rest at the military cemetery in Bratunac. The commander of the military police platoon and one of the founders of the Igman Brigade, Slavko Kovačević, says that there was a territorial defense battalion in the JNA barracks in Žrnovnica, whose members, together with the Serbian people of Hadžići and its surroundings, managed to defend themselves against the invasion of organized Muslim units on May 25, 1992. "On that day, 32 fighters were killed, as well as several civilians in the village of Kasatići. It was the hardest and saddest war day in Hadžići, but also a day of pride, which raised the morale of the army and the people, who resisted until the end of the war and defended that area," recalled Kovačević. He added that they mobilized that evening and organizationally formed the Igman Brigade over the next few days. He pointed out that the defense of Hadžići was very important for Republika Srpska because the Overhaul Institute, the barracks, and huge warehouses of ammunition and equipment were preserved. "If that had fallen into enemy hands, it would have caused much trouble for the Serbian people and the army," Kovačević pointed out, emphasizing that the hardest part was when the war ended and when they had to leave the defended lines and Hadžići. The President of the Citizens' Association "Fighters of the Igman Brigade", Dragan Urejkić, said that it is extremely important to mark the Day of the Brigade, which gave 218 fighters for the defense of Republika Srpska, most of whom were transferred and buried in Bratunac. He stated that they gather to pay tribute to the fallen, but also to a large number of deceased comrades who suddenly fell ill and died after the war as a result of the NATO bombing of Hadžići and its surroundings with depleted uranium bombs. After the signing of the Dayton Agreement, the Serbian people were displaced from Hadžići, which had successfully defended itself against constant Muslim attacks during the war. During the Sarajevo exodus, the majority of the inhabitants of that municipality moved to Bratunac, where the remains of 187 fallen fighters of the Igman Brigade were also transferred.