FAILURE OF THE CROATIAN-MUSLIM OPERATION UNA

BIJELJINA, SEPTEMBER 18 /SRNA/ - The regular Croatian Army, with the assistance of Muslim units, launched a fierce, coordinated attack on Novi Grad, Kostajnica and Kozarska Dubica in the morning hours of this day in 1995.

The following day, the attack ended in the defeat of the aggressor forces. More than 3,000 shells fell on Kozarska Dubica alone. Muslim units also took part in the operation, including members of the so-called Army of BiH, who advanced towards Sanski Most and Novi Grad, where Croatian forces established one of their bridgeheads. However, the Muslim forces were confronted by 14,000 members of the Republika Srpska Army, supported by 2,000 volunteers from Serbia. "Operation Una", as the attempt by the Croatian Army and Muslim forces to take control of the Una River region was known, involved crossing the Una and Sava rivers to establish bridgeheads in Novi Grad, Kozarska Dubica and Srpska Kostajnica, opposite Jasenovac, in order to enable a subsequent advance towards Prijedor and Banjaluka. The operation was planned just a few hours after a meeting between then-Croatian President Franjo Tuđman and US diplomat Richard Holbrooke, during which Holbrooke urged Tuđman to increase pressure on the Una River region and to threaten to seize Banjaluka in order to force the leadership of Republika Srpska to enter negotiations. Kozarska Dubica, Kostajnica and Novi Grad suffered extensive destruction. A total of 104 people were killed, including 54 civilians, 44 members of the Republika Srpska Army, and six members of the Ministry of the Interior of Republika Srpska. A lawsuit was subsequently filed against Croatia. To this day, no one has been held accountable for these crimes and the destruction. According to data from municipal commissions assessing material damage, the damage amounted to BAM 83.3 million in Novi Grad, BAM 50.4 million in Kozarska Dubica and BAM 40 million in Kostajnica. In the area of Kozarska Dubica, near the site of the former TIK "Knežopoljka" factory, 13 Croatian soldiers from the "Black Mambas" sabotage platoon of the 2nd Guards Brigade were killed. Following the defeat, Croatia officially refused to take back the bodies. After the war, Croatian General Janko Bobetko estimated the Croatian Army's losses at more than 70 killed and 250 wounded. According to official Croatian sources, 50 soldiers were killed or went missing during the operation.