Croatia marks the 31st anniversary of the Battle of Šibenik

The Battle of Šibenik, also known as the September War, saw Croatian National Guard and the Croatian Police, hold off an assault by the JNA, or Yugoslav People's Army, supported by Serb rebels. The battle was fought to the north and west of the city of Šibenik in September of 1991.

A commemoration marking the 31st anniversary of the Battle of Šibenik, was held in the village of Velika Glava in the Šibenik hinterland today. The September War was fought to the north and west of the city of Šibenik from the 16th to the 22nd of September 1991. Croatian forces not only pushed back the Yugoslav-Serb attack, but also captured a number of JNA facilities in the city, including dozens of navy vessels and several coastal artillery batteries, which were then used to defend the city. The Yugoslav People's Army garrison in Šibenik was evacuated following an agreement between Croatian officials and the JNA.

The JNA-Serb attack caused three Croatian military and seven civilian deaths, as well as more than a hundred wounded. Nediljka Slamić lost her brother in the attack: “My brother died here 31 years ago. Every year is more difficult. When we come we're it is a little easier for us.”

The deputy commander of the second battalion of the 113th brigade Luka Petrina: “The 11th was a sad day for us, we had three casualties and I think five more wounded. It was a huge shock for the entire battalion, because they were our first casualties.”

The JNA bombing of Šibenik damaged numerous buildings, including the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The New York Times judged the JNA bombing campaign to be a part of calculated assaults on Croatian heritage. In spite of the tactical loss, the JNA would continue to bomb the city for the next 100 days.

Meanwhile, the 25th “Meeting for Rudy,” was opened today in Rudolf Perešin Memorial Park. The air show is held in honor of Homeland War pilot, Rudolf Perešin. In October of 1991, Perešin, a Croatian pilot serving in the Yugoslav Air Force, defected to the Croatian side by flying his MiG-21 fighter jet from Željava Air Base to Klagenfurt, Austria. He was the first pilot to desert from the Yugoslav Air Force. Following his defection he continued to fly missions for the Croatian Air Force, until he was killed by Serb forces in May of 1995. His defection as well as his statement that he is a Croat and cannot and will not fire upon Croatia, proved to be a significant moral boost for Croatian forces in the early days of the fight for independence.

Source: HRT