Croatia marks the 33rd anniversary of Operation Medak Pocket

The goal of the offensive was to cut off the salient Serb forces were using to shell the city of Gospić. Six Croatian soldiers and seven special police were killed in the offensive, while another 53 were wounded. The operation marked one of the first Croatian offensives in the Homeland War.

A commemoration was held in Gospić on Wednesday to mark the 33rd anniversary of Operation Medak Pocket. Along with a solemn mass for those who were killed in the operation, a candle lighting and wreath laying ceremony was also held. The commemoration was attended by family, friends, comrades at arms and top city, county and state officials.

The President of the Association of Homeland War Veterans from the 9th Guards Brigade, Antonijo Šebalj: "It was tense, we started in the early morning, but there were a lot of mine fields, I get a little emotional about that day because I was wounded and my friends were killed next to me. It was hard, but we knew we had to complete the mission."

"Today we express our gratitude to the thirteen brave Croatian soldiers and police officers, who gave their lives at the altar of the homeland in Operation Medak Pocket," added Deputy Prime Minister and Veterans Affairs Minister Tomo Medved.

Minister Medved also commented on the graffiti defacing a mural honoring Croatian units from the Homeland War in downtown Zagreb on Wednesday: "They attacked us 33 years ago with grenades and other weapons. Today they attack as cowards, with paint. Our message to them is; we defended ourselves with weapons in 1993, we will defend the dignity of the Homeland War and insignia of our heroic military and police units. Furthermore, to those who do not like Croatia, to those who dare to stain the sacred foundations on which Croatian freedom rests, you need to finally come to terms with the fact that Croatia's finest sons defended the country in the Homeland War, and Croatia will know how to protect her values."

Members of the Dinamo football fan club began restoring the mural to her original glory as soon as the graffiti was noticed on Monday morning.

Source: HRT