Zaim Imamovic (soldier)
Encyclopedia
Zaim Imamović was a Bosniak
soldier who commanded the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina forces in the Goražde
enclave during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
Imamović was born in Ilovača, Goražde
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
. Prior to the war he was a professional soldier in the Yugoslav National Army and held the rank of Captain
.
When the Yugoslav federation began to fall apart he was stationed in Slovenia
but the beginning of the war in Bosnia found him in Sarajevo
. He returned to his native region and took command of the soldiers there. He commanded the forces through the three and a half year siege, the worst of which was during March/April 1994 when an unsuccessful Serb offensive killed almost one thousand and wounded nearly 2,000 people, mostly civilians.
His leadership skills were recognized and he was taken out of the enclave in order to command a unit which sought to break the siege from outside. He always led from the frontline and was wounded 6 times, the last time just a day before he was killed by shrapnel from a Serb shell on the Treskavica
mountain in October 1995.
He was buried on the grounds of the Ali Pašina Ali Pasha's Mosque
in Sarajevo
along other prominent Bosniak military and political leaders.
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
soldier who commanded the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina forces in the Goražde
Goražde
Goražde , is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river. It is located between Foča, Sokolac and Višegrad, and is administratively part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the center of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton.-Location:Goražde is situated on the...
enclave during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
.
Imamović was born in Ilovača, Goražde
Goražde
Goražde , is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river. It is located between Foča, Sokolac and Višegrad, and is administratively part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the center of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton.-Location:Goražde is situated on the...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
. Prior to the war he was a professional soldier in the Yugoslav National Army and held the rank of Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
.
When the Yugoslav federation began to fall apart he was stationed in Slovenia
Slovenia
Slovenia , officially the Republic of Slovenia , is a country in Central and Southeastern Europe touching the Alps and bordering the Mediterranean. Slovenia borders Italy to the west, Croatia to the south and east, Hungary to the northeast, and Austria to the north, and also has a small portion of...
but the beginning of the war in Bosnia found him in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
. He returned to his native region and took command of the soldiers there. He commanded the forces through the three and a half year siege, the worst of which was during March/April 1994 when an unsuccessful Serb offensive killed almost one thousand and wounded nearly 2,000 people, mostly civilians.
His leadership skills were recognized and he was taken out of the enclave in order to command a unit which sought to break the siege from outside. He always led from the frontline and was wounded 6 times, the last time just a day before he was killed by shrapnel from a Serb shell on the Treskavica
Treskavica
Treskavica is a mountain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in Trnovo municipality just south of city of Sarajevo.Mala Ćaba peak at 2088 meters , makes Treskavica the tallest of all the mountains circling Sarajevo, and only some 300 meters shorter than the tallest mountain in the country...
mountain in October 1995.
He was buried on the grounds of the Ali Pašina Ali Pasha's Mosque
Ali Pasha's Mosque
Ali Pasha's Mosque was constructed in Sarajevo during 1560-61 as a vakuf of Hadim Ali-pasha, the former Ottoman governor of the Budapest administrative district and the Bosnia Pashaluk. The mosque was built according to the classical Istanbul architectural style...
in Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
along other prominent Bosniak military and political leaders.