Kozara
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Kozara (Козара) is the mountainous western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, administratively part of Republika Srpska. It is bounded by the Sava river - north, Vrbas river - east, Sana river - south and Una river - west. The highest peek on Kozara is Lisina (978m).
[edit] Battle of Kozara
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In the spring of 1942, Yugoslav Partisans in middle and west Bosnia liberated Bosanski Petrovac, Drvar, Glamoč and Prijedor. On May 20th, the First Krayina Brigade was founded, and the next day partisans had tanks and modest air force. The free teritory was from the river Sava, across the mountains Kozara and Grmeč
The German and Ustasha armies saw that Banja Luka and iron mine Ljubija were in danger and organized an offensive to destroy movement. Germans engaged 15000 soldiers, Ustashas and Domobrans about 22000 soldiers, Chetniks about 2000 soldiers and Hungarians participated with 5 monitor ships.
The partisan group had about 3000 soldiers, but as reserve they had 60000 civilians.
After intensive battle, in the night July, 3rd some partisan units broke the siege, but the main group is again sieged next night and mainly destroyed. In Široka Luka 500 vounded partisans vere killed. It is estimated that during the battle partisans losed about 1700 soldiers, while axis forces losed about 7000. About 68600 people from Kozara were sent to concentration camps.
About 900 partisan soldiers survived and founded Fifth Krayina Brigade.
In the same time, the main Partisan group with Tito, moved from East Bosnia to West Bosnia, and after withdrawal of the Axis offensive forces, parts of losed area were regained in September 1942.
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