23rd anniversary of Operation 'Maestral': The first significant operation of the joint forces of the Army of BiH, HVO, and HV

(Patria) - Operation Maestral was the first significant operation of the joint forces of the HV, HVO, and Army of BiH in western Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which larger areas of western Bosnia were captured, including the cities of Drvar, Šipovo, Jajce, Bosanski Petrovac, Bosanska Krupa, and Ključ. Operation Maestral actually consisted of two connected offensives. It lasted from September 8 to 17, 1995.

Based on the Split Agreement between Croatia and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina of June 22, 1995, a few weeks after Operation 'Storm' and after the repelled counterattack by the Army of Republika Srpska from the direction of Drvar, during which the HV and HVO captured additional square kilometers in the direction of Drvar, the focus of the Croatian army's actions returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The international community did not create problems, as it was the best way to force Bosnian Serbs to sit at the negotiating table without demanding additional conditions. Together with the forces of the Army of BiH, Croatian forces began planning the liberation and capture of as much territory as possible in southwestern Bosnia. The 4th and 7th Guards Brigades were preparing to continue their advance towards Banja Luka. The concept of the operation was bold and envisioned breakthroughs on two operational axes from Bosansko Grahovo towards Drvar and from Glamoč towards Jajce.

Due to the repeated massacre at Sarajevo's Markale market on August 28, 1995, NATO air forces launched a strong campaign of air strikes against Bosnian Serbs on the night of August 30, 1995, under the name 'Operation Deliberate Force'. The Bosnian Serb army was severely disrupted. In this opportune moment, while the eyes of the world were on the sky and the damage to the Serbs around Sarajevo was being counted, the military staffs of the Army of BiH, HV, and HVO exploited the moment of VRS's helplessness and launched a joint offensive.

The liberation operation began on Friday, September 8, from the direction of Glamoč and Kupres - the first Serb lines were easily broken, and the strategically important peak of Veliki Vitorog, 1906 m above sea level, fell into the hands of the 7th and 4th Guards Brigades, from where a wide area from Kupreško Polje and Glamoč all the way to Šipovo, Jajce, and Mrkonjić Grad was controlled. Facing the Croatian forces were 7 light infantry, poorly staffed Serb brigades, one motorized brigade, and two armored battalions of the 2nd Krajina Corps of the VRS.

At the same time, offensive operations of the 5th Corps of the Army of BiH under the command of General Atif Dudaković began from the direction of Bihać towards the Grmeč mountains and Bosanski Petrovac, and towards Bosanska Krupa. The 7th Corps of the Army of BiH under the command of General Mehmed Alagić launched a fierce attack on Donji Vakuf.

Simultaneously, the Army of BiH launched operations towards other strategic areas, so on Monday, September 11, 1995, the strong, strategically important Serb stronghold of Vozuća on the Banovići-Zavidovići road fell, and in the following days, almost the entire Ozren mountain fell into Bosniak hands.

The next day, Tuesday, September 12, 1995, forces of the 4th Guards Brigade of the HV captured the town of Šipovo, and the 7th Guards Brigade captured the strategically extremely important Mliništa pass on the road between Glamoč and Mrkonjić Grad.

The following day, Wednesday, September 13, 1995, was extremely successful - the 7th Guards Brigade captured Drvar, the 4th Guards Brigade captured the city of Jajce, a predominantly Croatian city, the Croatian flag flew over the Pliva waterfalls, which meant for Operation 'Maestral' what the flag on Knin Fortress meant for 'Storm'. On the same day, Donji Vakuf also fell into the hands of the 7th Corps of the Army of BiH.

On the southern front, the HV and HVO captured several hills from which the city of Trebinje could be monitored. On September 15, 1995, units of the 5th Corps of the Army of BiH captured Bosanski Petrovac, and the next day, September 16, the town of Ključ fell. The following day, Sunday, September 17, the 5th Corps liberated Bosanska Krupa. In the following days, the 5th Corps captured a wider area in the direction of Bosanska Otoka, Prijedor, and reached the outskirts of Sanski Most, which would be captured less than a month later.

After seven days of fighting, the operation ended. An area 100 kilometers wide and 25 kilometers deep was captured and liberated, which included the important Oštrelj and Mliništa passes, and between the HV and Banja Luka, only the town of Mrkonjić Grad remained, which was captured in Operation 'Southern Move' (October 8-12, 1995). The vital Serb stronghold, Banja Luka, became the realistic next target, the liberation of which would mean the total defeat of Serb forces in BiH.

With the destruction of infrastructure, logistics, and command systems by NATO air forces, the Croatian-Bosniak offensive chipped away at Republika Srpska piece by piece and brought thousands of refugees who flowed in columns towards Prijedor and Banja Luka. The 2nd Krajina Corps of the VRS was almost completely shattered and forced to flee. Serb morale was very low, and panic spread in Banja Luka and throughout Republika Srpska. However, the widely captured areas were not densely populated before the war - these were mountainous, difficult-to-access areas, so the number of refugees in relation to the captured territory was not large.