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

Dates: 11 – 16 January 1944. (1)

Objective: To destroy strong Partisan concentrations in the Kozara Mountains between Bosanska Gradiška and Banja Luka for the purpose of opening the main supply road between those two locations.

Enemy Forces: 4th Assault Division NOVJ (with 3 brigades), Kozara NOP Detachment and the Gradiška-Lijevče NOP Detachment.

Axis Forces:
German
1. Kosaken-Kav.Div. (one 2-regiment brigade)
187. Reserve-Div. (elements)
Croatian
Few if any

Conduct of Operations and Results: Part of the larger operation named “Waldrausch”, the operation got underway a day early on 10 January and quickly advanced south to Banja Luka. By the end of the second day they still had not encountered any enemy resistance, but when the operation concluded several days later some casualties had been incurred on both sides.

Losses (from German records)
Germans: 1 killed and 16 wounded.
Partisans: 131 killed and 7 captured.

Footnotes
1. [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.649; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-314 roll 561/166-77).