- Operation Miracle
-
Operation Miracle Date July 21, 1995 Location Krčevine[disambiguation needed 
]Result Bosnian Mujahideen success Belligerents 
Bosnian Mujahideen
Republika SrpskaCommanders and leaders Adil al-Ghanim ?Strength ? ?Casualties and losses ? 22 Killed
14 CapturedA surprise assault in the Bosnian War, Operation Miracle (Arabic: كرامة, also Operation Proljeće II[1]) was a successful attack by the foreign troops of the Bosnian Mujahideen against the city of Krčevine[disambiguation needed
] on July 21 1995, which captured 14 VRS personnel, and killed as many as 22 others.[2][3]Contents
The attack
The attack itself, carried out by El Mujahed Detachment of the 3rd Corps, was accompanied by a photographer employed by the Mujahideen,[4] as well as Syrian-born interpreter Aiman Awad.[2] It was part of the larger Proljece II action, aimed at capturing Krcevine[disambiguation needed
], Malovan and Malije Gaj.[5] Operation Miracle commenced at approximately 15:30 on July 21.[6]Adil al-Ghanim, known by the kunya Abu Mu'adh al-Kuwaiti, was the commander of the fighters who entered the city, although he did not enter combat himself. While observing the mission from atop a nearby hill, he was shot and killed.[7]
A Saudi commander from Medina who was greatly disturbed by the ongoing Srebrenica massacre of Bosnian civilians, Abu Omar al-Harbi led a six-man team whose goal was to capture three Serbian bunkers. However, the first bunker sat in front of an open field which didn't offer any cover to the team, and the Serbians immediately began firing on them as they struggled to get their rocket-propelled grenade in position. al-Harbi began sprinting across the open field towards the bunker, shooting at the two Serbians inside. His team shouted to warn him that he could be entering a minefield, but his only response was to shout Allahu Akbar loudly before carrying on. He killed one of the Serbians from a distance approximately two metres in front of the bunker, before he was shot in the forehead and killed.[7]
During a "sabotage attack" led by Abu Sabit Masri against Serbian foxholes, approximately three military police were killed and the severed head of Momir Mitrovic was collected and brought back along with his identification and diary. [8]
A Serbian tank was captured by the Bosnian forces, who sent a radio message for al-Battar al-Yemeni, a former tank commander from the Army of Yemen, to return to the battlefield following his removal after being wounded in the hand. As Serbian troops tried to destroy the captured vehicle, al-Yemeni and an unknown companion ran towards it and drove it back to the Bosnian lines. He was killed by a mortar shell four hours later, while trying to evacuate a wounded fighter from a captured bunker.[7]
Krsto Marinkovic, of the Serbian Light Brigade, was woken up in his unit's trench by shouts of coming under attack from the Bosnians. Together with Petko Maric, he ran towards the forests in an attempt to escape the attack, where they met Tosic Velibor, and at 19:00 the trio decided to surrender themselves to the Mujahideen, in the hopes of being exchanged for Bosnian prisoners. After stepping out of the forest, they were surrounded quickly by both Bosnian and foreign Mujahideen, who kicked and punched them before making a brief video showcasing their prisoners, and entrusted them to a Bosnian and two Mujahideen who began marching them towards Livade.[6]
The prisoners
Held in Livade cabin
The captured soldiers, with the exception of Predag Knezevic who was allegedly beheaded, were taken to Livade village. A memo was written the following day, from the Military Security Service of the ABiH 35th Division, informing the 3rd Corps commander that the prisoners had been interviewed in the "Reception Centre" in Livade, and that they suggested that Sare, a reference to Edin Saric, should conduct any future interrogation.[3] They were questioned about which VRS units had been responsible for destroying mosques in Prijedor, Banja Luka and Bosanska Krupa, and the identities of those who had raped Muslim women.[2][3][9] Eleven of the prisoners turned out to be Muslim "labour" soldiers from Prnjavor[disambiguation needed
] who had been employed to fortify Serb defences in the area, while Branko Sikanic, Igor Guljevatej and Velibor Trivicevic were proper soldiers.[3][10] By the end of the day, the total was 12 captured VRS soldiers, and 11 captured support soldiers.[10]Transferred to Kamenica
The prisoners were transferred two days later to the Kamenica Camp in the Gostović valley. Marinkovic tried to escape at one point, but simply fell off the back of the truck still blindfolded and bound, and a burst from a Mujahideen machine gun made him freeze. A knife was held to his throat, and the Bosnian asked the captured doctor, Branko Sikanic, to come over and slit his throat, which Sikanic refused - and the convoy carried on.[6] When they arrived, they were untied and fed fish, bread and water.[6]
Two soldiers from the 35th Division had heard of the capture and showed up at the two-story house where the prisoners were held, where they claim that they asked the foreign fighter to untie them, but were ignored.[11]
The following day, 40-year old prisoner Gojko Vujicic, who had been wounded in the right thigh, swore blasphemous curses while demanding he be given water, and was subsequently taken to another room where he was shot and decapitated. The remaining prisoners were forced to kiss his head before it was hung on the wall for two days.[2][6][12] Their legs were bound with an air hose, which prisoners later stated was filled with air to cause it to inflate, causing them great pain. Other prisoners allege they were administered electrical shocks.[13] Viko Aksentic tried to jump out a window and escape, but was caught and beaten by his captors.[2] While bathing the prisoners, the Mujahideen were again met by members of the Bosnian Army who noted that there were "about ten prisoners" who were all able to walk to the bathing area on their own, and appeared to be in good health.[8]
Transferred to ZK prison
After a month, the prisoners were moved to Zenica Kazneno Popravni Dom prison, where they were held. Here, they were interrogated by Edin Saric as earlier suggested, who reported that ""They were worn out. They were not shaved. They were dirty...I couldn't see visible traces of torture or violent behaviour. I think that's quite enough. And especially if each men, each of them, tells you that there was no such things, what else could I do but believe these people?", indicating that the captured soldiers had initially denied any abuse at the hands of their captors.[3]
The eleven Muslim prisoners were released as a prisoner exchange on October 31,[14] while the others record being held beyond December 31, when they were seen by the Red Cross.[2][13] Other prisoners included Goran Stokanovic, Samac and a paramedic.[1][15]
Aftermath
Following the battle, because of the unexpected good fortune in capturing a tank, overrunning the Serbian positions, and setting a new front line in the battle,[16] the Arab forces dubbed the battle al-Karama, "The Miracle".[17]
After the war, General Rasim Delic was accused by the International Criminal Tribunal of failing to prevent the mistreatment of the prisoners.[13]
References
- ^ a b United Nations, Judgment Sumamry for Rasim Delic, September 15 2008
- ^ a b c d e f Committee for Collecting Data on Crimes Committed Against Humanity, Mujaheddin Prisoner Camps, January 1998
- ^ a b c d e ICTY November 21 2007
- ^ Library Information and Research Service, "The Middle East", Index Page 31
- ^ ICTY transcript, September 24 2007
- ^ a b c d e ICTY transcript, October 3 2007
- ^ a b c Azzam Publishers, In the Hearts of Green Birds, 1997
- ^ a b ICTY Transcripts, p. 5671 onward, November 16, 2007
- ^ Institute for War & Peace Reporting, Conflicting evidence in Delic trial, October 12 2007
- ^ a b ICTY transcript, September 25 2007
- ^ Institute for War & Peace Reporting, Conflicting Evidence in Delic Trial, October 12 2007
- ^ Savic, Carl K. "Al-Qaeda on Trial: The Hague and Bosnian Muslim War Crimes"
- ^ a b c ICTY indictment against Rasim Delic
- ^ ICTY transcript, September 28 2007
- ^ Trifunovic, Darko. Documentation Centre of Republic of Srpska, Islamic Fundamentalists’ Global Network - Modus Operandi - Model Bosnia p. 85
- ^ ICTY Transcripts, p. 5427, November 13, 2007
- ^ Balkan Investigative Reporting Network, ICTY: Praising the Mujahadins
Categories:- Bosnian War
- 1995 in military history
- 1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Battles of the Bosnian War
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.
