Operation Miracle
Encyclopedia
A surprise assault in the Bosnian War
, Operation Miracle was a successful attack by the foreign troops of the Bosnian Mujahideen
against the city of Krčevine
on July 21 1995, which captured 14 VRS
personnel, and killed as many as 22 others.
, was accompanied by a photographer employed by the Mujahideen, as well as Syrian-born interpreter Aiman Awad. It was part of the larger Proljece II action, aimed at capturing Krcevine
, Malovan
and Malije Gaj. Operation Miracle commenced at approximately 15:30 on July 21.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
, 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. They were questioned about which VRS units had been responsible for destroying mosque
s in Prijedor
, Banja Luka
and Bosanska Krupa
, and the identities of those who had raped Muslim women
. Eleven of the prisoners turned out to be Muslim "labour" soldiers from Prnjavor
who had been employed to fortify Serb defences in the area, while Branko Sikanic, Igor Guljevatej and Velibor Trivicevic were proper soldiers. By the end of the day, the total was 12 captured VRS soldiers, and 11 captured support soldiers.
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. When they arrived, they were untied and fed fish, bread and water.
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.
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. 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. Viko Aksentic tried to jump out a window and escape, but was caught and beaten by his captors. 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.
The eleven Muslim prisoners were released as a prisoner exchange
on October 31, while the others record being held beyond December 31, when they were seen by the Red Cross. Other prisoners included Goran Stokanovic, Samac and a paramedic.
in the battle, the Arab forces dubbed the battle al-Karama, "The Miracle".
After the war, General Rasim Delic
was accused by the International Criminal Tribunal
of failing to prevent the mistreatment of the prisoners.
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...
, Operation Miracle was a successful attack by the foreign troops of the Bosnian Mujahideen
Bosnian mujahideen
Bosnian mujahideen were foreign Muslim volunteers who fought on the side of Bosnian Muslims during the 1992–1995 Bosnian war. They arrived in Bosnia with the aim of fighting for Islam and on behalf of Muslims who were at the time brutally attacked by Serbs and Croats in different parts of the...
against the city of Krčevine
Krčevine
Krčevine is the name of the several villages in Bosnia-Herzegovina:* Krčevine , municipality of Busovača* Krčevine , municipality of Ilijaš* Krčevine , municipality of Kiseljak* Krčevine , municipality of Šipovo...
on July 21 1995, which captured 14 VRS
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...
personnel, and killed as many as 22 others.
The attack
The attack itself, carried out by El Mujahed Detachment of the 3rd Corps3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 3rd corps of the Bosnian Army was one of five, later seven. It was established by the order of the Commander of Main Staff of the Bosnian Army Sefer Halilović on 9 November 1992...
, was accompanied by a photographer employed by the Mujahideen, as well as Syrian-born interpreter Aiman Awad. It was part of the larger Proljece II action, aimed at capturing Krcevine
Krčevine
Krčevine is the name of the several villages in Bosnia-Herzegovina:* Krčevine , municipality of Busovača* Krčevine , municipality of Ilijaš* Krčevine , municipality of Kiseljak* Krčevine , municipality of Šipovo...
, Malovan
Malovan
Malovan is a mountain in the municipality of Kupres, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It has an altitude of ....
and Malije Gaj. Operation Miracle commenced at approximately 15:30 on July 21.
Adil al-Ghanim, known by the kunya
Kunya (Arabic)
A kunya is a teknonym, the name of an adult derived from their child, especially their eldest son, in Arabic names.A kunya is expressed by the use of abū or umm in a genitive construction, i.e "father of" or "mother of" as a honorific in place of or alongside given names in the Arab world and the...
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.
A Saudi commander from Medina
Medina
Medina , or ; also transliterated as Madinah, or madinat al-nabi "the city of the prophet") is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia, and serves as the capital of the Al Madinah Province. It is the second holiest city in Islam, and the burial place of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, and...
who was greatly disturbed by the ongoing Srebrenica massacre
Srebrenica massacre
The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, refers to the July 1995 killing, during the Bosnian War, of more than 8,000 Bosniaks , mainly men and boys, in and around the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska under the command of...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Held in Livade cabin
The captured soldiers, with the exception of Predag Knezevic who was allegedly beheadedDecapitation
Decapitation is the separation of the head from the body. Beheading typically refers to the act of intentional decapitation, e.g., as a means of murder or execution; it may be accomplished, for example, with an axe, sword, knife, wire, or by other more sophisticated means such as a guillotine...
, were taken to Livade village. A memo was written the following day, from the Military Security Service of the ABiH
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War...
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. They were questioned about which VRS units had been responsible for destroying mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
s in Prijedor
Prijedor
Prijedor is a city and municipality in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the Bosanska Krajina region....
, Banja Luka
Banja Luka
-History:The name "Banja Luka" was first mentioned in a document dated February 6, 1494, but Banja Luka's history dates back to ancient times. There is a substantial evidence of the Roman presence in the region during the first few centuries A.D., including an old fort "Kastel" in the centre of...
and Bosanska Krupa
Bosanska Krupa
Bosanska Krupa is a town and municipality in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the Una river. It is located northeast from Bihać...
, and the identities of those who had raped Muslim women
Mass rape in the Bosnian War
During the Bosnian War many women from all Bosnian ethnic groups were raped. Estimates of the numbers raped range from 20,000 to 50,000. This has been referred to as "mass rape", particularly with regard to the coordinated use of rape as a weapon of war...
. Eleven of the prisoners turned out to be Muslim "labour" soldiers from Prnjavor
Prnjavor
Prnjavor is a town and municipality in northern Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated in the northern part of the Republika Srpska entity. The municipality is near the town of Banja Luka, which is located to the west of Prnjavor....
who had been employed to fortify Serb defences in the area, while Branko Sikanic, Igor Guljevatej and Velibor Trivicevic were proper soldiers. By the end of the day, the total was 12 captured VRS soldiers, and 11 captured support soldiers.
Transferred to Kamenica
The prisoners were transferred two days later to the Kamenica Camp in the GostovićGostović
Gostović is a village in Croatia. It is connected by the D41 highway....
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. When they arrived, they were untied and fed fish, bread and water.
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.
The following day, 40-year old prisoner Gojko Vujicic, who had been wounded in the right thigh, swore blasphemous
Blasphemy
Blasphemy is irreverence towards religious or holy persons or things. Some countries have laws to punish blasphemy, while others have laws to give recourse to those who are offended by blasphemy...
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. Their legs were bound with an air hose
Air hose
Air hoses are used in underwater diving, such as scuba diving, to carry air from the surface or from air tanks or diving pumps to the diver. Air hoses are therefore a necessary part of standard diving dress and any type of surface supplied diving equipment....
, 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. Viko Aksentic tried to jump out a window and escape, but was caught and beaten by his captors. 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.
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.The eleven Muslim prisoners were released as a prisoner exchange
Prisoner exchange
A prisoner exchange or prisoner swap is a deal between opposing sides in a conflict to release prisoners. These may be prisoners of war, spies, hostages, etc...
on October 31, while the others record being held beyond December 31, when they were seen by the Red Cross. Other prisoners included Goran Stokanovic, Samac and a paramedic.
Aftermath
Following the battle, because of the unexpected good fortune in capturing a tank, overrunning the Serbian positions, and setting a new front lineFront line
A front line is the farthest-most forward position of an armed force's personnel and equipment - generally in respect of maritime or land forces. Forward Line of Own Troops , or Forward Edge of Battle Area are technical terms used by all branches of the armed services...
in the battle, the Arab forces dubbed the battle al-Karama, "The Miracle".
After the war, General Rasim Delic
Rasim Delic
Rasim Delić was the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a career officer in the Yugoslav National Army but left the army when Yugoslavia dissolved.- Yugoslavian National Army :...
was accused by the International Criminal Tribunal
International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
The International Tribunal for the Prosecution of Persons Responsible for Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law Committed in the Territory of the Former Yugoslavia since 1991, more commonly referred to as the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia or ICTY, is a...
of failing to prevent the mistreatment of the prisoners.