Operation Grom: Heroic fighting by Sarajevo fighters prevented the aggressor from cutting the city!

(Patria) - On this day in 1992, one of the decisive actions for the defense of Sarajevo was successfully carried out.

In the operation codenamed Grom, the aggressor was prevented from attempting to cut the city in two by connecting Pofalići with the then-besieged Grbavica.

The aggressor's plan was to cut the city with the line Vogošća-Žuč-Pofalići-Marshal Tito Barracks-Grbavica.

However, in the early morning of May 16, 1992, an hour earlier than the aggressors expected, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina thwarted this intention by defeating the aggressors.

Thanks to the Municipal Staff of Territorial Defense Novo Sarajevo, units and patriots, the Regional Staff, and the coordination between the Municipal Staff, the Supreme Command, and the units, the cutting of the city was prevented.

The defenders of Sarajevo managed to break through to the famous Plavi Granap and stopped around 11 AM because they were met with strong resistance. After several hours of uncertainty, the fighters from Pofalići and Velešići consolidated and destroyed a strong machine-gun nest at Cvijetića pekari. In the final phase of the Battle of Pofalići, 11 fighters who came to assist, commanded by Samir Pezo, played a significant role. In the early evening hours, the company of Alija Prazine managed to break the blockade.

Serbian soldiers retreated via Orlić and Žuč towards Vogošća and Rajlovac, and some removed their uniforms and managed to escape to Vraca via Dolac Malta. During the night, most of the participants in the Battle of Pofalići returned home, so only a small number of fighters from Pofalići guarded the liberated positions. If they had known this, the soldiers of Lazo Bojanić could have easily recaptured the lost positions during the night in a counteroffensive.

During the Battle of Pofalići, Sarajevo defenders Edin Krako Deba, Miralem Miradžija, and Muris Đelkić Čičak were killed.

The fighters of the ARBiH were opposed by the Pofalići Brigade of the VRS, which numbered about 1,700 members, the paramilitary formation White Eagles with 380 members, about 100 "Serbian police officers," and a group of the paramilitary formation Vukodlaci.

The Serbian forces suffered a heavy defeat in the settlement of Pofalići, and conditions were created for the ARBiH to advance towards the strategically important Žuč plateau north of Sarajevo.

The Battle for Žuč Hill took place on June 8, 1992, and was one of the first victories of the ARBiH. It confirmed the success of the Battle of Pofalići and created prerequisites for further advancement by liberating Kote 850, Vis, and Golo brdo.

Avdo Huseinović filmed a documentary about the Battle of Pofalići.