The thirteenth memorial race “Paths of Cobras, Paths of Heroes”, run from Islam Latinski to Novigrad in Croatia, was held on Sunday, February 1, organized by the Virovitica-Podravine County Marathon Association “Messengers of the Truth”.
An 18-kilometer section in memory of 23 killed members in the military police operation Maslenica in 1993.
They organized the memorial race veterans of the 3rd Battalion of the 3rd Guards Brigade “Cobra” from Slavonski Brod. 15 runners from Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina took part, among whom was Širokobriježanin Mario Soldo.
Maslenica – a turning point in the Homeland War
By the way, VRO Maslenica was one of the first liberation operations The Croatian Army and the Ministry of the Interior i it marked a turning point in the current course of the Homeland War.
In just 72 hours and with the participation of all three branches of the Croatian Army in the Maslenica operation, it was almost liberated hundred square kilometers of the previously occupied Croatian territory.
The operation was crucial for connecting the north and south of Croatia in the Homeland War and for the defense of Croatia from enemy aggression and further military actions of the Croatian Army and the MUP.
Operation Maslenica has begun January 22, 1993 at 6 o’clock in the morning under the code name Pirate. In three days, the Croatian defenders liberated about fifteen villages and important strategic points, such as Novsko Ždrilo and the Zemunik air base, in the hinterland of Zadar.
Days of the murdered Franciscans of Herzegovina: “Walk of Remembrance” gathered pilgrims and runners
U the first three days of action 19 members of the Croatian Army and MUP were killed, and 70 were wounded, but due to the strong artillery-rocket and tank, and occasionally infantry-sabotage attacks by the aggressors that followed immediately after the Maslenica operation, by March 31, 1993, 127 Croatian veterans.
They were engaged in the Maslenica operation all branches of the Croatian Armyand the units of the then Joint Area Split – 4th Guards Brigade, Tactical Groups 112th and 113th, 126th Brigade, 7th Home Guard Regiment, 40th Engineer Battalion, 72nd Battalion of the Military Police, as well as special units of the MUP, parts of the 9th, 3rd, 2nd, and 1st Guards Brigades, parts of the Main Staff units participated The Croatian Army, the Split Electronic Action Center, the Croatian Navy’s ground, diversionary and naval forces, and the Croatian Air Force and Air Defense Helicopter Squadron.
(www.jabuka.tv | Photo: private archive)
