Operation Steel '93

Operation Steel '93 (Serbo-Croatian: Operacija Čelik '93/ Операција Челик '93) was a Serbian counter-offensive on Ravne Kotare, which was carried out from January 27 to March 1, 1993.

Operation Steel '93
Part of the Croatian War of Independence
Date 27 January - 1 March 1993. Location Zadar hinterland, Maslenica Result SVK victory Croatian offensive stopped
Belligerents
Croatia	Serbian Krajina
Commanders and leaders
Janko Bobetko Ante Gotovina Boris Jacović	Dragan Vasiljković Željko Ražnatović Milorad Ulemek Veljko Milanković † Mihajlo Ulemek
Units involved
Croatian Army Croatian Special Police	Army of Serbian Krajina Serb Volunteer Guard

Operation

The counter-offensive was carried out as a response to the Croatian aggression and occupation of the area of Serbian Krajina from the Maslenica bridge, along the southern coast of the Novigrad Sea to the town of Novigrad itself. Numerous villages of Kašić, Smoković, Islam Latinski, Islam Grčki and Zemunik airport are also decorated. All the places are ethnically Serbian, that's why they experienced huge destruction.

The goal was, above all, to stop the further penetration of Croatian forces and the return of lost territories. Unfortunately, due to poor coordination of forces, most of the territory was not returned. Many units of the 7th North Dalmatian Corps of the SVK (92nd Benkovačka motorized brigade as the corps carrier), elite units of the Wolves from Vučijak, intervention battalions from Banija and Kordun and a good number of volunteers (Arkan's Tigers, Šešeljevci...) took part in the action. The fighting in this action was very bloody for both sides. The Croatian army was stopped in front of the village of Pridrage, which saved the Karin Sea, the enemy was sent back to Novigrad, but Novigrad was not returned. Paljub remained in Croatian hands, while the village of Smiljčić resisted the offensive. The battles for Kašić were particularly bloody because the village passed from hand to hand several times, and in the end it remained in Croatian hands. On the contact lines, Biljane Donje and Gornji Zemunik were defended, the village of Sukhovare was occupied, while Škabrnja was returned after fierce fighting. While in the village of Narančić, the Croatian forces had a dozen dead fighters and two captured T55A tanks. The counteroffensive slowly waned and the rear guns fell silent by the end of February in the vicinity of Kašić and Drač.