From the Battle for Knin to the Pearl of Rastoke

On this day 31 years ago, the Croatian Army liberated Knin, crowning Operation Storm and achieving the greatest victory in the Homeland War. The central celebration of Victory Day, Homeland Gratitude, and Croatian Veterans takes place on August 4, 2026, in Knin, and one of those who stepped into that city three decades ago is Josip Bebek, president of the Association of Veterans of the 4th Guards Brigade 'Pauci' of Šibenik-Knin County.

In an interview with Net.hr, Bebek recalled the moments that preceded the historic entry into Knin. His testimony reveals that many soldiers on the ground did not even know that their ultimate goal was the liberation of the city that had become a symbol of the Serbian rebellion.

The Path from Bosansko Grahovo to Igla Hill

"We set off from the direction of Bosansko Grahovo. Literally, as a non-commissioned officer in the Croatian Army, I didn't know we were heading for Knin, that we were liberating Knin. I thought we were going on another operation and would see what happens next," Bebek told Net.hr. His unit, the 4th Guards Brigade, quietly moved to about three kilometers from Knin before the start of the main operation.

On August 4, 1995, at 5:00 a.m., the artillery preparation began. The target was Igla Hill. "Unfortunately, last year I learned that two members of the 7th Guards Brigade, who were taking that hill, died there, and they are the true heroes of the Homeland War, while I am just your interviewee," Bebek emphasized, paying tribute to his comrades.

The hill was taken the same day, around four in the afternoon. After nightfall, the units continued their advance toward the Croatian border. "On the 5th, at 4:45 in the morning, the operation began," Bebek recalled the moment the final assault started.

Entering a Half-Empty City and Pride in a Clean Victory

Bebek does not hide that the atmosphere among the soldiers was charged with unprecedented emotion. "I must tell you that even if the American army had stood in front of us, we would have entered Knin, because there was such enthusiasm, joy, and pride when we learned we were going to Knin. It was incomparable. We would have entered even if the whole brigade had to carry us, but we would have entered," he said.

However, the scene they encountered was different from what they expected. "What disappointed me was that when we arrived, I thought there would be fighting in Knin, but we didn't fight; we entered a half-empty city." Despite the absence of combat in the city itself, Bebek highlights what he is most proud of: "When the 7th and 4th Brigades entered Knin, they didn't kill anyone. A day or two later, to be honest, we moved toward Srb. We left a clean city."

The Suffering of Slunj and the Reconstruction of Rastoke

While Knin was the central objective of the operation, Storm brought freedom to other occupied areas as well. In 1991, Slunj spent 104 days under siege, surrounded by Yugoslav People's Army forces and Serbian paramilitary units, before falling. More than 16,000 Croats were expelled from the Slunj area, and hundreds of people were killed in war crimes during the occupation.

The town was liberated in August 1995. After the 1st Guards Brigade captured Plitvice, it linked up with the 5th Corps of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina on August 6. They entered Slunj together with forces from the Karlovac Operational Zone, which advanced from the Ogulin sector of the front. Croatian defenders found a destroyed and looted town.

During the occupation, Rastoke, the pearl of the Slunjčica River known as "Little Plitvice," also suffered severe damage. The former mill settlement was completely devastated. However, reconstruction followed after the war. With the return of displaced residents, Slunj turned into a large construction site, and Rastoke shone again. Today, they are one of the symbols of Slunj and a recognizable Croatian tourist gem, while the process of economic recovery and healing war wounds continues to this day.