Line of defense of the city, along Hrasno Brdo near Zeljo’s Stadium, remained stable despite fierce two-day shelling.
In an attempt to penetrate to the Pere Kosorica Square and further, to Ivana Krndelja Street, the perpetrator came to this building, the restaurant of 11 blue.
The drama started at dawn on the 5th of October 1992, when a group of Chetniks entered the Restaurant of 11 blue. Among them were specials from Nis, or “bulls” with bulletproof-suits, as they were called. After taking over a restaurant, two well-armed aggressor units headed to Grbavica Stadium. Some of them went along Zvornicka Street, towards the main entrance of the stadium, while others moved back, to transit.
Then began a terrible infantry battle. This was one of the fiercest combats that took place in the city center.
“That was one of the most complex operations carried out in the area of Sarajevo in 1992, and also the last attempt of the aggressors to cut the city in two parts and realize the plan of division of the city. In April 1992, these attempts were prevented on several occasions, and the new attempt took place on the 5th of October, when the offensive action started, and continued on the 6th and 7th of October when aggressors experienced complete breakdown,” recalled Enver Zornic.
Most of citizens of Pere Kosorica Square, and Hrasno, were in basements. They received information to listen to what is happening from the windows protected with sandbags, to be quiet, not to turn the lights on, and to protect entrances to the building. The situation was tense and terrifying.
“Next to the building, where the headquarter was placed, a new victim died . An old man who was well known in Sarajevo for feeding the pigeons was killed. He was struck by a sniper from Ozren, who shot him again and again. For foreign journalists it was something unusual: an old man who fed the pigeons died! We were all near the dead old man, but no one dared to approach him because snipers continue to shoot his dead body. The scene went to all the world’s television stations … No one, however, could not remember the name of this noble man, who never did anything wrong to anyone in his life. He lost his life because he went to feed the pigeons.”
The combat concentrated again near the Restaurant of 11 blue. The head of the soldiers, Jasmin Cesko, who was just seven meters away from the enemy who had no idea that our soldiers have come so close. Most of the aggressors will not survive that day.
Sarajevo and the Square were defended. There was quiet celebration in hallways of surrounding streets.
In the ranks of the Army of BiH were killed two soldiers and three were injured.
With decisive action, courage and the desire expressed by members of the Hrasno Hill and the detachment of the Square, aggressor’s action was stopped and it was never repeated through the line on that part of Sarajevo.
(Source: Radiosarajevo.ba)
