Part of the Anti-Partisan Operations in Croatia series by H.L. deZeng IV

Dates: 3 – 12 December 1941. (1)

Objective: to destroy Partisan concentrations along the Bosna and Spreča River valleys in East Bosnia and in the Ozren Mountains that lie between them that were sabotaging and blowing up the rail lines between Maglaj and Doboj and between Tuzla and Doboj.

Enemy Forces: Ozren NOP Detachment with 4 battalions.

Axis Forces: Croatian 4th Infantry Div. (HQ in Doboj) with some 6,581 troops in three combat groups constructed from elements of 20 Domobran battalions, 4 to 5 battalions of Ustasha and supported by 60 to 70 artillery guns and 3 armored trains.

Conduct of Operations and Results: the Croatians managed to achieve most of their objectives, but the Partisans put up a valiant fight before withdrawing from the area. Croatian casualties were said to be 350 dead and wounded while the Partisans had 120 dead and wounded, but these would require confirmation before being relied on.

Footnotes
1. [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.168; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, 2 Vols (Belgrade: 1965), pp.140 and 144-51.