Hero and a symbol of the defense of Sarajevo, Safet Zajko, was killed in operations of scouting of Mijatovica kosa on this day back in 1993.
He was a soldier of BiH and one of the key people for the defense of Sarajevo during the siege of our capital city.
Besides a number of high command duties, he is remembered as the legendary commander of the 2nd knight’s brigade.
“It is an honor to die. Even life can be sacrificed for this kind of thing,” said Safet Zajko to journalist Sefko Hodzic at Zuc Hill, where he soon died.
Only five days after the liberation of Mijatovica kosa, on the hill Zuc, on June 17, 1993, Safet Zajko was killed during scouting of enemy positions. He was shot in the eyebrow, according to witnesses of his death, after a short burst of fire during scouting. The main objective of scouting of liberated areas was advancing towards Bosna River that was only several hundred meters away from Zajko’s place of death, as well as preparation for a final attack on Vogosca, with which Sarajevo was supposed to be liberated. Shortly before his death, Safet Zajko observed the enemy units that were in disarray, only 500 meters from the house of war criminal Momcilo Krajisnik, which is located in neighborhood Zabrdje near Sarajevo.
By the command of the commander of the GHQ of the Army of BiH, he received the highest wartime award “Golden Lily” as one of the first people to receive it for his war ventures. He was also posthumously promoted to the rank of Brigadier General for his heroic contribution to the war and extreme heroism and self-condemnation in combat operations.
A street in Sarajevo, in the Municipality of Novi Grad, today bears his name, as well as the recently opened sports and recreational center in the Municipality of Novi Grad.
