Galaja 1992 resistance

Galaja 1992 resistance
Part of the Bosnian War
Date14 May – 3 June 1992
Location
Vrhpolje, Sanski Most
Result

ARBiH victory

  • Kljuc-Sana battalion transported to Bihać
Belligerents
Bosnia and Herzegovina  Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders

Arif Hukanovic
Amir Avdic

Nevzad Djeric Kedjo
Branko Basara
Milan Škondrić
Drago Samardžija
Units involved
Ključ-Sana battalion 6th Light Sana Infantry Brigade
3rd Petrovac Light Infantry Brigade
17th Ključ Light Infantry Brigade
Strength
200 soldiers 1,000+ soldiers

The territorial defense of Vrhpolje had a military review on 15 April in 1992. There were around 300 soldiers in the review and the commandant of the unit was Arif Hukanovic. In the village of Vrhpolje, a group of Bosniaks didn't want to surrender. They didn't want to surrender their weapons, but they defended their villages. The hodza, Emir Seferovic was captured in a house and he was tortured and later killed.[1]

Battle

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14–15 May

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On 14 and 15 May the first clash between the territorial defense of Vrhpolje and the much stronger Army of Republic of Srpska happened. The territorial defense of Vrhpolje offered strong resistance to the enemy force and the enemy forces were forced to withdraw. The enemy suffered casualties and it is assumed that a dozen enemy soldiers were thrown out of the line in that battle.

27 May

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The newly formed Kljuc-Sana battalion under the commandant Amir Avdic blocked the Sanski Most-Kljuc road on the entrance of the village Gornji Ramici. The blockade was done by the Vrhpolje people under the command of Arif and Ifet Hukanovic.

3 June

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The Army of the Republika Srpska started an attack on the Kljuc-Sana battalion with the goal to destroy the resistance. The whole 6th Sana, Kljuc and Petrovac brigade participated in the attack. One part of the Kljuc-Sana unit with around 150 soldiers was deployed in part of the Galaja forest and the other part with around 50 soldiers held its course in the canyon of the river Sanica. The soldiers which controlled the Galaja forest captured 40 enemy soldiers and 5 officiers. After long negotiations which lasted over 24 hours, they were transported to Bihac and the enemy soldiers were freed. 144 soldiers from Sana and Kljuc entered Bihac and they joined the fighters of Cazinska Krajina.[citation needed]

Legacy

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This victory is celebrated every year in Vrhpolje (Sanski Most).[2] Flowers will be laid on the memorial plaque of Said Karenović in Vrhpolje.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Global War Crimes Tribunal Collection: The Rwanda Tribunal. 1997. p. 91.
  2. ^ "GALAJA kao simbol otpora". inmedia.ba (in Bosnian). 2 June 2016. Retrieved 19 June 2022.