Battle of Knin | |||||||
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Part of World War II in Yugoslavia | |||||||
Partisan artillery during the battle | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Axis: | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Units involved | |||||||
8th Dalmatian Corps 1st and 2nd Air Force Squadron Balkan Air Force Yugoslav Navy |
XV Mountain Corps Dinara Division 6th and 7th Ustasha Brigade, 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Croatian Home Defense Brigade | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
35,000 troops, 80 artillery guns, 25 tanks and 11 armored vehicles | 20,000 troops, 75 field guns and 30 AA guns | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
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The battle of Knin (Serbo-Croatian: Kninska operacija) was a major Yugoslav Partisan operation during World War II in Yugoslavia launched by the 8th Dalmatian Corps from 7 November to 9 December 1944 with the purpose of destroying German, Ustaše and Chetnik formations in North Dalmatia and the city of Knin, then part of the Independent State of Croatia. It was the final part of the 8th Corps offensive for the liberation of Dalmatia which began on 12 September 1944. The Knin operation had three phases: Initial battles on approaches to Knin from 7 November to 25 November, main battle and liberation of Knin from 26 November to 4 December, and final battles and pursuit of retreating Axis forces to Otrić in Lika from 5 December to 9 December.[1][2]