The Green Berets ( bs, Zelene beretke) was a military organization founded in
Sarajevo
Sarajevo ( ; cyrl, Сарајево, ; ''see names in other languages'') is the capital and largest city of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a population of 275,524 in its administrative limits. The Sarajevo metropolitan area including Sarajevo ...
in early 1992. They were founded by demobilized soldiers and conscripts from the
Yugoslav National Army
The Yugoslav People's Army (abbreviated as JNA/; Macedonian and sr-Cyrl-Latn, Југословенска народна армија, Jugoslovenska narodna armija; Croatian and bs, Jugoslavenska narodna armija; sl, Jugoslovanska ljudska ar ...
(JNA) who were mostly ethnic
Bosniaks and supporters of the elected government of Bosnia and Herzegovina. They were integrated into a newly founded
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( bs, Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine or 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 ...
in the second half of 1992. The Green Berets as a gear of choice and name was selected both as a reference to the
United States Army Special Forces
The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army.
The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal mi ...
(the "Green Berets") (although no actual relation existed) and as a common colour brand of the predominant ethnic group that composed the unit, namely
Bosniaks. Bosnian Green Berets were mostly active during the war in the early part of 1992 in northern and central Bosnia.
References
Military units and formations of the Bosnian War
Paramilitary organizations in the Yugoslav Wars
Military wings of political parties
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