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

Dates: 3 – 6 February 1944. (1)

Objective: To destroy the Partisan 19th Division in the area west of Knin.

Enemy Forces: 19th Division NOVJ and 13th Dalmatian Brigade/9th Division NOVJ.

Axis Forces:
German
1. Gebirgs-Division (elements)
Grenadier-Rgt. (mot.) 92
Chetnik auxiliaries
Croatian
Few if any

Conduct of Operations and Results: Advancing from Kistanje, Benkovac and Obrovac, the Germans managed to surround the Partisans during the first three days of, at times, heavy fighting, but on the fourth day they broke free and fled northwest into the Otrić – Gračac in Lika.

Losses (from German records)
Germans: 9 killed, 28 wounded and 12 missing.
Partisans: 327 counted dead, a further 450 estimated dead and wounded, and 77 captured.

Footnotes
1. [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945 (Belgrade, 1964), p.679; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, 2 Vols (Belgrade: 1965), Vol. II, pp.57-58; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-314 roll 561/668-75.