Lilies and the Golden Sword: All Members of the Army of the Republic of BiH Are the Pride of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was officially founded on April 15, 1992, from units of the Territorial Defense of BiH and organized volunteers, as a response to the Serbian aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After the Dayton Agreement, together with the HVO, it was transformed into the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. 

On April 8, 1992, the Presidency of BiH declared an immediate war danger and established the Main Staff of the Territorial Defense of BiH. The Territorial Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the successor of the previous Territorial Defense of the Socialist Republic of BiH.

The following day, April 9, the Presidency of BiH made a decision to unify all armed forces on the territory of BiH into the Armed Forces of BiH (OS BiH); under the command of the Armed Forces were to be placed the Muslim Patriotic League of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Green Berets (as the party police of the SDA), the TO BiH, the HVO, the HOS and other resistance groups against the Yugoslav-Serbian aggression.

The Army of BiH was created by uniting units of the TO, the Patriotic League, the Green Berets, the MUP of BiH and various Bosniak volunteer formations into a single army on April 15, but it was only on July 4, 1992, that it was named the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Until then, the old name TO BiH was used.

In mid-1992, the HOS accepted the supreme command of the Army of BiH, but not the HVO, whose leadership at its founding rejected the TO BiH as "compromised."

The most common symbol is the lily. The coat of arms of the Army of the RBiH is actually the coat of arms of the RBiH with some additions such as two golden swords passing diagonally through the coat of arms and military inscriptions above the coat of arms.

Today, the anniversary of the Army of the RBiH is being marked across BiH, and many are sending congratulations. Željko Komšić, the leader of the DF, posted an interesting reaction on social media.

- The Army of the RBiH is the only armed force under whose flag members of all BiH peoples fought during the aggression against BiH and is primarily responsible for preserving the internationally recognized borders of BiH - says Komšić.