Operation Munja '93 () was a military operation conducted on January 11, 1993, by the

505th Bužim Brigade The 505th Knightly Motorised Brigade (''505. Bužimska brigada'') was part of the 5th Corps of the Bosnian Army under the command of Brigadier General Izet Nanić. The 505th Knightly Motorized brigade was honored by the late president of Bosni ...

of the

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (; ; ARBiH), often referred to as Bosnian Army, was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established by the government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina i ...

(ARBiH). The operation aimed to regain control of the territory in the

Banjani Banjani ( sr-cyrl, Бањани) was a tribe in Old Herzegovina, and historical region in western Montenegro. Its territory comprises , west of Nikšić, in the centre between Nikšić and Bileća, from the top of Njegoš mountain to the Trebi ...

area from the

Army of Republika Srpska The Army of Republika Srpska (; ВРС/VRS), commonly referred to in English as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of Republika Srpska, the self-proclaimed Serb secessionist republic, a territory within the newly independent Bosnia and Herz ...

(VRS).

Background

Planned in secrecy during October 1992, the operation involved 360 armed fighters from the 505th Bužim Brigade divided into six groups. An additional 360 unarmed personnel followed behind the combat groups, tasked with evacuating casualties and collecting weapons from the dead or wounded. Opposing them was VRS's battalion of the 1st Novigrad Light Brigade, equipped with heavier weaponry than the ARBiH forces.

Operation

The main attack targeted Banjani and Dobro Selo. The operation commenced on January 11th with assaults on VRS bunkers, marked by the use of the phrase " Allahu Ekber". Within two hours, the ARBiH inflicted a significant defeat on the VRS

1st Krajina Corps 1st Krajina Corps (Serbian: ''1. '', ''1. '') was one of the six corps of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS). It was the largest, most experienced, and the most capable corps in the army. Before implementation into the Army of Republika Srpska, th ...

. By ten o'clock, most planned positions were secured, except for the Banjani school, which was captured two days later. VRS counterattacks using elite troops failed to retake any lost ground.

Aftermath

The 505th Bužim Brigade recaptured approximately 40km² of territory during the operation. ARBiH losses amounted to 18 soldiers, 8 of whom died on the first day. VRS casualties included 163 confirmed deaths, and several hundred wounded. Operation Munja significantly bolstered the 505th Bužim Brigade's reputation, demonstrating their ability to prevail despite facing a force with superior weaponry.

References

{{coord missing, Bosnia and Herzegovina Battles of the Bosnian War