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The Battle for Grbavica (Lašva Valley) was fought for control of Grbavica Hill between the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). The HVO forces captured the hill on 9 September 1993. This victory ultimately provided a tactical advantage and was considered a strategic success for the HVO.[1][unreliable source?]
| Battle for Grbavica (Lašva Valley) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Croat–Bosniak War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Herzeg-Bosnia |
 Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Tihomir Blaškić Dario Kordić | Unknown | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 Croatian Defence Council |
 Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||
Battle flow
editTihomir Blaškić and Dario Kordić, along with their associates, urgently sought a solution. At dawn on September 8, 1993,[2] the special purpose units of the HVO Operational Zone Central Bosnia, supported by numerous volunteers, engaged the small ARBiH reserves, initiating a decisive battle for the Croatian regiment in the Lašva Valley.[3]
The attack commenced with precise artillery fire targeting key military positions, including command posts and well-fortified trenches. This precision allowed the highly motivated HVO troops to breach the ARBiH's first lines of defense within hours. Battles were fought for each position according to a meticulously crafted plan that analyzed every detail.[4][unreliable source?] Tihomir Blaškić directed operations from nearby Kalvarija, a renowned Catholic shrine that, this time, proved fortuitous. By the end of the first day, the HVO forces had advanced to the Grbavica plateau with no fatalities and only a few wounded. The entire Lašva Valley followed the news with a mix of trepidation and disbelief.[5][unreliable source?]
The advance was halted by nightfall, with concerns over minefields delaying progress until morning. Throughout the night, new volunteers continued to arrive, with no one sleeping.[6][unreliable source?]
The morning saw a renewed assault, and the ARBiH reinforcements were unable to prevent the HVO from advancing towards Sadovače and Bukve. By the afternoon of September 9, 1993, the victory at Grbavica was secured. This triumph not only restored the morale of the Croats in the Lašva Valley but also provided a significant boost to their confidence, proving that defense was possible and survival achievable after three months of intense conflict.[7][unreliable source?]
References
edit- ^ Hercegbosna.Org, Portal. "Portal Hercegbosna.Org". www.hercegbosna.org (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ Armija BiH (2023-06-13). HVO, Grbavica-Vitez 08.09.1993, Jokeri i Tvrtkovci. Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
- ^ Artinfo (2019-09-09). "VIDEO Obljetnica jedne od najbriljantnijih bitki HVO-a u Središnjoj Bosni". ARTinfo - Tko zna, zna! (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ HVO ZP Vitez Archiv (2021-07-01). Vitez 1993 Granatiranje Franjevačke crkve-bolnice Nova Bila | HVO borbe Grbavica. Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Lašvanska dolina 1993 - Stranica 55 - Forum.hr". www.forum.hr. Retrieved 2024-07-18.
- ^ bosnasrebrena (2019-09-08). HVO Oslobađenje Grbavice Vitez. Retrieved 2024-07-18 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Facebook". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2024-07-18.