Special Operations Command (Croatia)

The Croatian Special Operations Forces Command ( Croatian: ''Zapovjedništvo specijalnih snaga OSRH'') is one of the three independent commands of the Croatian Armed Forces, subordinate to the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, whose mission is to ensure the combat readiness of the special operations forces for operations in defense of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia and to participate in NATO and coalition-led operations.

The Croatian Special Operations Forces Command was created from the Special Operations Battalion (BSD) which existed until December 2014, when in accordance with the provisions of the Long-Term Development Plan of the Armed Forces alongside the decree of the President of Croatia and the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, with the decision of the Minister of Defence and by the orders of the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the process of reorganization of the Special Operations Battalion started and led to the subsequent establishment of the Croatian Special Operations Forces Command (CROSOFCOM) in February 2015. The goal of the reorganization was the creation of an interoperable and quickly deployable special operations forces that would be able to adequately respond to current and future security challenges.

In early February 2015, the Croatian Special Operations Forces Command was established, then consisting of five organizational units.

A subsequent reorganization of the CROSOFCOM followed in mid 2019 which saw an additional creation of three new Special Forces Groups, the 3rd, 4th and 5th Special Forces Groups respectively. Alongside the CROSOFCOM reorganization, the 194th Multipurpose Helicopter Squadron of the 91st Wing of the Croatian Air Force, stood up the 3rd Special Operations Aviation Platoon which will support the CROSOFCOM with its Mil Mi-171Sh helicopters until the arrival of new UH-60M Blackhawk helicopters in 2022.

The anniversary day of the Croatian Special Operations Forces Command is honored to the organization and the formation of the first special forces unit of the Croatian Armed Forces - the Zrinski Battalion, established on May 18, 1991.

History

The Zrinski Battalion ( Croatian: '' Bojna Zrinski'') was the first special forces unit of the Croatian National Guard ( Croatian: ''Zbor narodne garde – ZNG'') and later of the Croatian Army ( Croatian: ''Hrvatska vojska - HV'') established in Kumrovec on May 18, 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence.

On May 18, 1991, the Zrinski Battalion was established as a special forces unit of the ZNG. The core of the unit consisted of 27 volunteers drawn from the 300 strong Kumrovec Special Police Unit ( Kumrovec SPU) with the addition of two members from the Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit. Initially, it relied on former French Foreign Legion troops of Croatian origin. The most senior among the former legionnaires was Ante Roso, previously a ''Sous-Officier'' (non-commissioned officer – NCO) in the 4th Foreign Regiment. In consequence, Roso was tasked with setting up the unit as its initial commander. Major Miljenko Filipović, likewise a former French Foreign Legion NCO, was assigned as the battalions deputy commander. The unit was based in the village of Kumrovec in the region of Hrvatsko Zagorje, on the grounds of the former "Josip Broz Tito" political school, named after this communist dictator and lifetime "president" of communist SFRJ. The site, adjacent to the border of Slovenia, was selected to be inaccessible to Yugoslav Air Force raids without violation of Slovene or possibly Austrian airspace. In June 1991, the Kumrovec SPU was transferred to Sljeme Peak north of Zagreb leaving Kumrovec base to the Zrinski Battalion, as well as the second special forces unit, the Frankopan Battalion. Over the course of the war following additional recruitment and training of volunteers the unit reached the size of a company and at most had around 150 members. The unit suffered 26 KIA before being amalgamated with other special forces units of the Croatian Army to the 1. HGZ ( Croatian: '' 1. hrvatski gardijski zdrug'') in April 1994.

The Zrinski Battalion was deployed for the first time on June 15, 1991. It was stationed in Vukovar, tasked with preparation of city defences and organization and training of volunteer troops in Vukovar in June, 1991. In August Filipović took over command of the battalion from Roso. The same month, the Zrinski Battalion went to Banovina, where it pushed the Croatian Serb forces out of the town of Hrvatska Kostajnica. In September, the battalion was deployed to Gospić, where it took part in battle of Gospić against the JNA. Troops assigned to the battalion captured Kaniža barracks in Gospić. During combat in Gospić, 30 troops of the Zrinski Battalion, assisted by Lučko Anti-Terrorist Unit, captured JNA Major General Trajče Krstevski along with three BOV Armoured Personnel Carriers ( APCs) and 32 soldiers. The unit was deployed to Metković on October 28, tasked with recapturing Slano from the JNA. After the deployment to Gospić, a part of the unit personnel left to Bosnia and Herzegovina anticipating further conflict there, while the remainder of the unit returned to Kumrovec. The ZNG was renamed the Croatian Army ( Croatian: ''Hrvatska vojska – HV'') on November 3, 1991. In late 1991, some of the personnel of the Zrinski Battalion were transferred to set up another special forces unit of the HV - the Matija Vlačić Battalion based in Opatija.

In 1992, elements of the Zrinski Battalion took part in the Battle of Kupres, before setting up a training camp in the town of Tomislavgrad. There the battalion personnel assisted in setting up and training the Croatian Defence Council ( Croatian: '' Hrvatsko vijeće obrane - HVO''). Later that year, elements of the battalion took part in Operation Tiger - aimed at lifting of the Siege of Dubrovnik.

In 1993, elements of the Zrinski Battalion took part in Operation Maslenica, fighting in the area of Škabrnja. The Central Intelligence Agency assessed the Zrinski Battalion as one of the best units of the HV.

On 25 February 1994, the Zrinski Battalion was amalgamated with parts of other special forces units of the HV: Frankopan Battalion, Ban Jelačić Battalion, Matija Vlačić Battalion, Ferdo Sučić Battalion, Alpha Battalion and parts of 8th Light Assault Brigade of the Croatian Military Police forming the 1st Croatian Guards Brigade ( Croatian: ''1. hrvatski gardijski zdrug''), a component of the 1st Croatian Guards Corps ( Croatian: '' 1. hrvatski gardijski zbor''), directly subordinated to the Ministry of Defence rather than the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia.

The 1.HGZ took part in several important battles of the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War. In late November and December 1994, it participated in Operation Winter '94, the joint offensive of the HV and the Croatian Defence Council ( Croatian: ''Hrvatsko vijeće obrane - HVO'') which pushed the Army of Republika Srpska ( Croatian: ''Vojska Republike Srpske'' – VRS) from the western parts of the Livanjsko polje in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Elements of the HGZ also saw action along the Novska-Okučani

HOME


Content is Copyleft
Website design, code, and AI is Copyrighted (c) 2014-2017 by Stephen Payne


Consider donating to Wikimedia



As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases