Trillium

The 7th Corps (Bosnian: Sedmi korpus), was an army corps of the Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina active during the violent breakup of Yugoslavia and subsequent Serbian^[2][3][4] and later Croatian^{[5][6][7][8][9]} military aggression against the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The idea for the formation of the 7th Corps arose not only from a military need, but also from a political desire to unite the Krajina military element in Central Bosnia in a separate corps whose focus of action would be towards the Bosnian Krajina. One of the key moments for the formation of 7th Corps took place, on August 21, 1993 in Zenica, during a briefing held between the members of the Supreme Command and the commanders of the Corps; where it was decided to begin with preperations for the formation of the 7th Corps.^[10]

The Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its Decision No. 02-111-19/94, dated January 11, 1994, regulated the formation of the 7th Corps. The Headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina initiated activities on the formation of the 7th Corps.^[11] However, combat operations with two enemies in the operational zone of the 3rd Corps (future operational zone of the 7th Corps) would halt the formation until the cessation of hostilities between the HVO and Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the signing of the Washington Agreement.^[12]

The decision on the formation of the 7th corps was made by the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on February 26, 1994;^[13] and Brigadier General Mehmed Alagić was appointed as the commander.^[14]

On the April 07, 1994 first official operational report was sent from the Command of the 7th Corps to the Headquarters of the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and is celebrated as the official day the 7th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed.^[15]

The main task of the 7th Corps was to carry out combat operations towards the northwestern part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the direction of Bosanska Krajina.^[16]

Operational zone of the 7th Corps included the following municipalities: Banja Luka, Bosanska Gradiška, Bosansko Grahovo, Bugojno, Čelinac, Donji Vakuf, Gornji Vakuf, Glamoč, Jajce, Kotor Varoš, Kupres, Laktasi, Livno, Mrkonjić Grad, Novi Travnik, Travnik, Vitez, Skender-Vakuf and i Šipovo.^[17]

The Brigadier General is the highest-ranking officer of the Corps appointed by the Presidency. Due to the constraints placed by the war, the primary role was to organize units and create functioning command structure in the zone of operation. The first and only commander of the 7th Corps was Mehmed Alagić.

A deputy commander is the second-in-command to a commander, acts on the Commander's behalf when required and performs other duties as directed by the Commander. The Deputy Commander of the 7th Corps was Fikret Ćuskić.

• Chief of Staff: Colonel Kadir Jusić
• Security Officer: Colonel Ramiz Dugalić
• Logistics Officer: Colonel Abdulah Jeleč
• Finance Officer: Major Mustafa Šanta

The organization and development of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the war was carried out according to the models from the Yugoslav concepts of national defense; in the conditions when most of the territory was occupied, in the conditions of an armed struggle against two aggressors, this type of model imposed itself as an inevitable and only possible territorial defense concept.^[18]

Despite such difficult and complex reality, the command made efforts to form units that would have a maneuver character and capability. The backbone of the maneuver units would be formed primarily from the exiled population from the occupied territories, example of the 17th Krajina Brigade, 305th Jajace Brigade, later 27th Mountain Brigade.

In terms of weaponry, the 7th Corps was a distinctly infantry unit. There were 7 tanks in the Corps. 73 large-caliber artillery tubes, 459 pieces of 82 mm and 60 mm mortars and over 12,000 infantry firearms.^[19]

The 7th Corps was formed from the combat elements of the 3rd Corps, primarily from units of OG "Bosanska Krajina" and OG "Zapad".

The following brigades from the Operational Zone ‘’Bosanska krajina’’ became part of the 7th Corps:

• 17th Knight's Krajina Mountain Brigade;
  • Commander: Major Sakib Forić
• 705th Mountain Brigade - Jajce;
  • Commander: Major Halid Dedić
  • Commander: Major Rifet Planinčić
• 706th Mountain Brigade - Travnik, Han Bila;
  • Commander: Captain Fahir Čamdžić
• 708th Mountain Brigade - Novi Travnik;
  • Commandr: Colonel Osman Porić (Killed in action October 13, 1995. Mulež - Ključ)^[20]
• 712th Glorious Mountain Brigade - Travnik;
  • Commander: Major Zijad Čaber
• 725th Mountain Brigade - Vitez;
  • Commander: Major Ahmed Kulenović
• 727th Mountain Brigade;
  • Commander: Major Mustafa Fazlić
• 737th Muslim Mountain Brigade.
  • Commander: Colonel Asim Koričić

The following brigades from the Operational Zone ‘’Zapad’’ became part of the 7th Corps:

• 707th Mountain Brigade - Bugojno;
  • commander: Major Faruk Aganović
• 717th Mountain Brigade - Gornji Vakuf;
  • Commander: Major Džemal Hadžić
• 770th Mountain Brigade - Donji Vakuf;
  • Commander: Captain Amer Duraković

Later on:

• 733th Mountain Brigade (formerly 333rd Mountain Brigade) - Busovača;
  • Commander: Major Mirsad Šestić