Operation Otkos 10

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Operation Otkos 10

Part of the Croatian War of Independence

Date	October 31 - November 4, 1991
Location	western Slavonia, Croatia
Result	Croatian victory

Belligerents

Croatian National Guard

Croatian police

Yugoslav People's Army

Local Serb militias

Strength

2,467 soldiers

1,750 soldiers

Casualties and losses

5 dead, several dozen wounded

Croatian War of Independence

Plitvice Lakes – Borovo Selo – Dalmatia – Vukovar (Battle, Massacre) – The Barracks – Dubrovnik – Lovas – Široka Kula – Gospić – Saborsko – Baćin – *Otkos 10* – Škabrnja – Orkan 91 – Voćin – Miljevci – Maslenica – Medak Pocket – Flash – Zagreb – Summer '95 – Storm

Operation Otkos 10 was a military offensive undertaken by the Croatian army against the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) in Croatia. The operation lasted from October 31, 1991, until November 4, 1991 and ended with a victory for Croatia.

1 JNA offensive up to October
2 Croatian counteroffensive
3 End of the operation
4 References

[edit] JNA offensive up to October

After the attacking forces of the 5th JNA corps (Banja Luka corps) had successfully crossed Sava river into Croatia and captured Okučani in western Slavonia it was their primary objective to advance along Pakrac - Grubišno Polje route and link up with the 28th partisan division on Bilogora hill, sever Podravska magistrala road route and reach the Hungarian border, thus completely severing Slavonia from the remainder of Croatia, including the capital - Zagreb.

Aiding the JNA offensive was the local Serb population in west Slavonia which took up arms in early 1991.

The occupied mountainous regions provided a base for the Serb forces, which then proceeded to shell (bombard) the nearby cities and villages in the lowlands.

[edit] Croatian counteroffensive

In order to prevent JNA's attempt to cut off Slavonia, and to stop the expulsions from western Slavonia, the Croatian troops have undertaken their first offensive operation of this scale during the homeland war.

The military aim of Otkos 10 was to secure the Bilogora hills and to capture favourable positions for further advance towards Papuk mountains to the southeast thus securing land communication between Slavonia and the rest of Croatia.

Croatian troops involved included: 151st brigade (Samobor), 127th brigade (Virovitica), 57th battalion and National defense detachment (Grubišno Polje), 24th mixed artillery battalion, 52nd battalion (Daruvar), a tank platoon of 105th brigade (Bjelovar), 19th mixed antitank artillery battalion (Virovitica), special police forces from Bjelovar, and a Križevci volunteer company.

[edit] End of the operation

The operation was successfully concluded by November and Croatia captured 21 villages and approximately 270 square kilometers of its territory, thwarting JNA's strategic plan to isolate Slavonia. The operation witnessed the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Serbs from the region^[1].

More importantly, a strategic supply route via Virovitica - Grubišno Polje - Kutina road was reopened, which was the most important land route to Slavonia until Operation Flash. Furthermore, this operation set the stage for the Operation Orkan 91 which marked yet another advance by Croatian army in this area.

[edit] References

^ Annex IV : The policy of ethnic cleansing

Debić, I., Delić, A.: OTKOS. Matica hrvatska Grubišno Polje, Prosvjeta d.d. Bjelovar, UHBDDR Zagreb. Bjelovar, 1999.

Runtić, D.: DOMOVINSKI RAT - vrijeme rata (knjiga 2.). Biblioteka Domovinski rat - Neobična naklada, Vinkovci - Šibenik, 2005.

Skupina autora: Oružana pobuna Srba u Hrvatskoj i agresija oružanih snaga SFRJ i srpskih paravojnih postrojbi na Republiku Hrvatsku (1990.-1991.). Republika Hrvatska I, Domovinski rat 1990.-1995., Dokumenti, Knjiga 1, Zagreb 2007.

www.youtube.com/kockavica

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