Kninjas
Active1991–1995
Allegiance Republic of Serbian Krajina
Branch Army of Serb Krajina
Nickname(s)Red Berets
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Dragan Vasiljković
Insignia
EmblemSerbian cross

The Kninjas (Serbian: Книнџе / Knindže), also known as the Red Berets (Црвене беретке / Crvene beretke), was a Serb paramilitary unit, a volunteer militia supporting the Army of the Republic of Serb Krajina in the Croatian War (1991–95). It was based in Knin, the capital of breakaway SAO Krajina that became the Republic of Serb Krajina (RSK). It was led by Serbian-Australian Dragan Vasiljković (born 1954), known as "Captain Dragan".

It was one of several notable Serb paramilitary units, alongside the White Eagles, Arkan's Tigers, the Falcons, and others.

History

Vasiljković, who had served in the Australian army, had returned to Yugoslavia in 1990 during the Croatian independence movement, eventually being hired as an instructor for volunteers in the summer of 1991. At this time, Belgrade daily Politika published a comic book named The Demons Return that featured the Kninjas fighting the Croats with martial arts.[1] The unit, deemed elite, was a special unit that answered in part to Knin police chief Milan Martić.[2] According to Martić himself, he was supplied of equipment and weapons mostly from the Serbian government.[2] It became the special forces of the RSK Interior Ministry.[3] The name, a pun on "Knin" and "Ninjas",[1] was informal;[4] the unit did not have an official name, but the term was used for the mostly Vasiljković-trained volunteers.[4] Veterans later joined the Special Operations Unit of FR Yugoslavia.

Vasiljković served a 15-year prison sentence for war crimes. He was released from prison on March 28, 2020.[5] The emblem was a customized Serbian cross, with blue background and inverted firesteels.

Cultural impact

The Serbian nationalist singer Baja Mali Knindža chose his stagename in honour of the Kninjas. He has also recorded a well-known song called Knindže Krajišnici ("Kninjas of the Krajina").

References

  1. 1 2 Thompson 1999.
  2. 1 2 Thompson 1999, p. 73.
  3. ↑ Focus. Tanjug News Agency, Foreign Language Desk. January 1992. p. 55.
  4. 1 2 GLA.
  5. ↑ "KAPETAN DRAGAN PUŠTEN IZ ZATVORA I ODMAH PROTJERAN U SRBIJU Bio je osuđen za ratne zločine u Kninu i Glini, nakon odsluženja kazne odveden na Bajakovo". Jutarnji list (in Croatian). 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.

Sources

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