The 5th Corps was one of seven corps and smallest one of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The formation was around the Bihaàpocket to protect it against the surrounding Serb forces which included the entire Army of the Kninska Krajina (VRSK), 1st and 2nd Corps of the Army of Srpska Republic (VRS), including the reinforcements from other VRS Corps, Yugoslav Military, Serbia Military and paramilitary formations. The assigned zone of responsibility of the 5th Corps encompassed almost the entire Bosnian Krajina, but in reality it only covered approximately 1,150 km<sup>2</sup> of the free Bosnian Krajina territory. The length of the front of the Bihaàpocket was about 180 km, and within the defended territory lived over 200,000 inhabitants. The Bihaàpocket found itself in a very unfavorable situation, due to the constant lack of weapons, ammunition, food, and medicine. The shortest distance from Bihaàpocket to the rest of the free territory in Bosnia and Herzegovina was about 100 km, while Velika Kladuà ¡a was only about thirty kilometers away from the territory held by the Croatian Army, before the secession (after the secession the free territory towards free Croatia and rest of the world increased about additional ~30 km). Fifth Corps also fought secessional Bosniak forces National Defence of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (NOZB, which had approximate size of a division reinforced by Serbs with equipment, supplies, training and reinforcements) stationed in Velika Kladuà ¡a county and parts of Cazin county, loyal to Fikret AbdiÃÂ, who was cooperating with Serb forces. During the war it is estimated that 5th Corps at all time had tied to themselves 70,000 serbian troops, when secession happened additional 10,000 secessional Bosniak troops were tied to the lines of 5th Corps. Just days before the last 5th Corps military operation, Operation Sana, 5th Corps defeated AbdiÃÂ's army and supporters, bringing the rogue autonomous province under government's control in the Downfall of Second autonomy operation. After that 5th Corps started all-out offensive Operation Sana, connecting to the rest of the Bosnian territory while bringing a number of previously lost and occupied regions of Bosnia and Herzegovina under government control, defeating 1st and 2nd Krajià ¡ki corps, strengthened with units that escaped Kninska Krajina and multiple Serb paramilitary forces coming to aid from different frontlines. During Sana 95 and Downfall of Second autonomy 5th Corps also liberated towns and communes in border section of Croatia. Connecting with Croat forces in Grabovac-Rakovica area, Korenica-Frkaà ¡iàarea, Bogovolja-Cetingrad area and on an overlooking hill west of PlitviÃÂka jezera. The solemnly meet up was done on the border bridge in Traà ¾aÃÂka Raà ¡tela, where commanders of both countries shook hands. During the Operation Sana 95 5th Corps captured biggest war loot the ARBiH ever had. Inventory of ARBiH weaponry grew exponentially after Operation Sana 95 which equipped the unit for further Operation Prijedor 95. In April 2018, police detained Atif Dudakoviàand 12 others on suspicion of committing crimes against humanity during the Bosnian war. The court process is still ongoing without any established evidence.
War trophies
Besides liberating territory and capturing a large number of different equipment from the enemy and putting it in own use, the biggest war trophies of the Bosnian war were tanks. Unimaginable thing to have for poorly equipped ARBiH. During the course of Bosnian war 5th Corps managed to capture big number of tanks (Approximately up to 70 counting the older models like T34, M18 and M36. While capturing between 40 and 50 T55A tanks.), but the trophies are the first nine tanks that were right away put to use in fighting by the 5th Tank Company after capturing. Rest of the tanks were pulled out to inventory because of lack of crew and were only after the end of the war integrated in the unit.
Eight war trophies of 5th Corps:
They also captured six T-55A tanks:
The ministry of military affairs passed the order for the formation of the Fifth Corps of the ARBiH on September 29, 1992, and the final approval by the presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina (order no. 02-111-738/92) on October 21, 1992. In the formation of the 5th Corps there have been the de-formation of the Unsko-sanski Operative Group and the Territorial Defense Groups of BihaÃÂ pocket. 5th Corps was operating during the course of the war in the state explained on this Wikipedia page.
After the Dayton Peace Agreement was signed 5th Corps had a wide reorganisation. This reorganisation was still largely influenced by the original war layout. Command was reorganised and adapted to new units structure. New brigades were formed and some units of 7th Corps which were made of residents from Bosanska Krajina region merged with 5th Corps units. New layout stayed til ARBiH disbandment on 14 December 1997.
After that 5th Corps got complete new reorganisation under VFBiH, where original organisation was completely disbanded losing all previous layouts in process. 5th Corps got reorganised with system used in US Armed forces units and command. Thus becoming whole new unit only keeping some of the units name's honorarily. It stayed like that til final dissolution in the newly formed OSBiH on 1 December 2004 when it officially ceased to exist.
Currently 5th Corps lives through different manifestations, anniversaries held through every following year, books that have been written and remembrance days. Several Museums and Remembrance organisations on different levels have been formed to continue the legacy.
At the meeting of the BihaÃÂ region, held on April 13, 1992, the appointment of Major Hajrudin OsmanagiÃÂ as the commander of the Territorial Defense of the BihaÃÂ region was confirmed. Major Hajrudin OsmanagiÃÂ was given control, but he stepped down before he took the post in favour of DrekoviÃÂ and Captain First class Ramiz DrekoviÃÂ took control as commander of the Fifth Corps, thus becoming first commander of the Fifth Corps. After him, Brigadier General Atif DudakoviÃÂ became commander of the Fifth Corps. He had the most impact of all the generals of the corps.
The first brigade formed in this territory was the 101st Independent Muslim Krajina Brigade, established on April 9, 1992, in the village of KovaÃÂeviÃÂi, municipality of Cazin. It was also the first brigade ever formed on the territory of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In addition, in other settlements of the BihaÃÂ pocket, units of a higher tactical-operational level were established.
Thus, in BihaÃÂ, on July 19, members of the newly organized First and Second BihaàInfantry Brigades were assembled from already existing Territorial Defense detachments. In August, in Cazin, the 1st Cazin Infantry Brigade was founded in the same way, and in Buà ¾im, on August 15, the 105th Buà ¾im Krajina Infantry Brigade was formed.
On September 1, 1992, the 111th Bosanska Krupa Infantry Brigade was established as the largest unit, numbering 1,692 members.
Due to the absence of an operational-tactical command, there was a need to form such a command that would unite the existing brigades and establish a chain of leadership and command over these units, both in planning and preparation as well as in conducting combat operations of larger scale. Based on these needs, and by order of the Supreme Command of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, dated July 29, 1992, the Una Operational Group was formed on August 13. This group soon changed its name to the Una-Sana Operational Group (USOG). This OG took command over all units until the formation of the 5th Corps, which was ordered by the decision of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Ramiz DrekoviÃÂ was appointed commander of the USOG, while Ramiz DurakoviÃÂ was named his deputy and chief of staff. On September 29, 1992, the Supreme Command Headquarters of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina issued order no. 02-111-738/92 for the formation of the 5th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with BihaÃÂ designated as its headquarters. Due to the situation prevailing in the BihaÃÂ pocket at the time, this order was not carried out until October 21, 1992, which is considered the official date of the founding of the 5th Corps.
All soldiers and officers of the disbanded Una-Sana Operational Group were incorporated into the newly formed 5th Corps. This group had included the infantry brigades of the Bihaàpocket Territorial Defense, which demonstrated loyalty to the Republic Government. At that time, the Corps consisted of seven brigadesâÂÂall of them infantry unitsâÂÂalong with six lower-level units (battalion or company), of various purposes, as well as a logistics base and the Corps command, with a total strength of 10,152 members.
List of brigades:
In the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina:
In the Republic of Croatia:
West of BihaÃÂ (Mainly to attack VRSK from behind before they could relocate and fortify themselves.):
North and northwest of Velika Kladuà ¡a (Mainly to not let VRSK relocate and fortify itself and because of NOZB APZB depots near the border, after Croatian green light.):
East of Buà ¾im:
In the cooperation with HV: