Battle of Šibenik (1991)
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Šibenik or the September War (Croatian
: Bitka za Šibenik, Rujanski rat) was a battle for the Croatia
n city of Šibenik
that lasted six days from September 16–22, 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence
.
In the final stages of the Operation Coast-91, the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) and local Serb paramilitaries
attacked with the aim of capturing Šibenik in order to split the Dalmatian coast
from the rest of Croatia. Although under-armed, the nascent Croatian army and Šibenik locals managed to defend the city. The bombings damaged numerous buildings and monuments, including the dome of the cathedral
and the 1870-built theatre building.
in 1990. After Croatia's first democratic elections and declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) forces became actively involved in Dalmatia in the summer of 1991, as Croat areas soon came under fire from the JNA 9th Corps (9. Korpus) (situated in Knin
) under the command of the new Colonel
Ratko Mladić
who later became the commander of the Bosnian Serb Army
.
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In August 1991, about fifteen kilometers north of Šibenik, the town of Skradin
was attacked. When this attempt failed, the JNA then advanced on the major coastal city of Šibenik.
The city's barracks were an important factor in the JNA's attack on the city during the fighting in September. On September 15, the Croatian 113th Brigade of Šibenik finally captured the JNA barracks in the city and took control of Šibenik's naval base, where they seized 29 small naval vessels. The JNA retaliated with heavy combined air, sea and land attacks on September 16. The attack lasted until September 22, when Croatian forces finally pushed the JNA out of their positions on the northern bridgehead, which controlled access to the city. These events became known as the September battle in Šibenik. During the battle, the city theatre, the largest in the country, built in 1870, was destroyed during the shelling, and the city's 16th-century cathedral was damaged.
On September 20, a famous video tape was taken during the Šibenik battles of the Croatian air defence shooting down one attacking Soko J-21 "Hawk"
and one G-2 "Galeb"
ground-attack aircraft. The first aircraft was shot at with an anti-aircraft gun, crashing into the sea near the island of Kornat, while the second was hit with an SA-7 anti-aircraft missile and exploded over the sea killing its pilot. Both planes were lost, contrary to popular belief that only one was actually shot down. One of the defenders immortalized the tape with the words: "Obadva! Obadva! Oba su pala!" ("Both of them! Both of them! Both went down!"); which grew into one of the most prominent icons of the war in Croatia.
The defense of the city against the Yugoslav Navy was significantly helped by the fact that JNA's coastal artillery battery on Žirje, led by sergeant major Željko Baltić, switched to the Croatian side.
Croatian language
Croatian is the collective name for the standard language and dialects spoken by Croats, principally in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbian province of Vojvodina and other neighbouring countries...
: Bitka za Šibenik, Rujanski rat) was a battle for the Croatia
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
n city of Šibenik
Šibenik
Šibenik is a historic town in Croatia, with population of 51,553 . It is located in central Dalmatia where the river Krka flows into the Adriatic Sea...
that lasted six days from September 16–22, 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence
Croatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
.
In the final stages of the Operation Coast-91, the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) and local Serb paramilitaries
SAO Krajina
Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Krajina or SAO Krajina was a self proclaimed Serbian autonomous region within modern-day Croatia . It existed between 1990 and 1991 and was subsequently included into Republic of Serbian Krajina...
attacked with the aim of capturing Šibenik in order to split the Dalmatian coast
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
from the rest of Croatia. Although under-armed, the nascent Croatian army and Šibenik locals managed to defend the city. The bombings damaged numerous buildings and monuments, including the dome of the cathedral
Cathedral of St. James, Šibenik
The Cathedral of St. James inŠibenik, Croatia is a triple-nave basilica with three apses and a dome in the city of Šibenik, Croatia. It is the church of the Catholic Church in Croatia, and the see of the Šibenik diocese. It is also the most important architectural monument of the Renaissance in...
and the 1870-built theatre building.
Background
As the Croatian War of Independence began in 1991, the region of Dalmatia found itself on the borders of the self-proclaimed SAO Krajina region, where the local Serb population orchestrated the Log RevolutionLog Revolution
The Log Revolution was an insurrection which started on August 17, 1990 in areas of the Republic of Croatia which were populated significantly by ethnic Serbs....
in 1990. After Croatia's first democratic elections and declaration of independence from Yugoslavia, the Yugoslav National Army (JNA) forces became actively involved in Dalmatia in the summer of 1991, as Croat areas soon came under fire from the JNA 9th Corps (9. Korpus) (situated in Knin
Knin
Knin is a historical town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia, located near the source of the river Krka at , in the Dalmatian hinterland, on the railroad Zagreb–Split. Knin rose to prominence twice in history, as a one-time capital of both the Kingdom of Croatia and briefly of the...
) under the command of the new Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Ratko Mladić
Ratko Mladić
Ratko Mladić is an accused war criminal and a former Bosnian Serb military leader. On May 31, 2011, Mladić was extradited to The Hague, where he was processed at the detention center that holds suspects for the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia...
who later became the commander of the Bosnian Serb Army
Army of Republika Srpska
The Army of Republika Srpska ; Serbian, Bosnian, Croatian Vojska Republike Srpske ) also referred to as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of today's Republika Srpska which was then the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina", a self-proclaimed state within the internationally recognized...
.
Battle
Skradin
Skradin is a small town in the Šibenik-Knin county of Croatia it has a population about 3,986 . It is located near the Krka river and at the entrance to the Krka National Park, from Šibenik and from Split...
was attacked. When this attempt failed, the JNA then advanced on the major coastal city of Šibenik.
The city's barracks were an important factor in the JNA's attack on the city during the fighting in September. On September 15, the Croatian 113th Brigade of Šibenik finally captured the JNA barracks in the city and took control of Šibenik's naval base, where they seized 29 small naval vessels. The JNA retaliated with heavy combined air, sea and land attacks on September 16. The attack lasted until September 22, when Croatian forces finally pushed the JNA out of their positions on the northern bridgehead, which controlled access to the city. These events became known as the September battle in Šibenik. During the battle, the city theatre, the largest in the country, built in 1870, was destroyed during the shelling, and the city's 16th-century cathedral was damaged.
On September 20, a famous video tape was taken during the Šibenik battles of the Croatian air defence shooting down one attacking Soko J-21 "Hawk"
Soko J-21 Jastreb
|-See also:...
and one G-2 "Galeb"
Soko G-2
The SOKO G-2 Galeb is a two-seat, single engine, jet trainer and ground-attack aircraft developed in Yugoslavia.-Design and development:Yugoslavia's VTI began design work on the airplane, named Galeb, in 1957...
ground-attack aircraft. The first aircraft was shot at with an anti-aircraft gun, crashing into the sea near the island of Kornat, while the second was hit with an SA-7 anti-aircraft missile and exploded over the sea killing its pilot. Both planes were lost, contrary to popular belief that only one was actually shot down. One of the defenders immortalized the tape with the words: "Obadva! Obadva! Oba su pala!" ("Both of them! Both of them! Both went down!"); which grew into one of the most prominent icons of the war in Croatia.
The defense of the city against the Yugoslav Navy was significantly helped by the fact that JNA's coastal artillery battery on Žirje, led by sergeant major Željko Baltić, switched to the Croatian side.