KNOJ - People's Defence Corps of Yugoslavia

KNOJ

People's Defence Corps of Yugoslavia

Brigades

Divisions

Formed on 15 August 1944 by decision of National committee for liberation of Yugoslavia (NKOJ) president of NKOJ and Supreme Commander of NOV i POJ, Josip Broz Tito, signed order of forming and tasks of KNOJ.

Formations of KNOJ where created on liberated territory during the war. At the end of 1943 and beginning of 1944 in Bosnia and Herzegovina companies and detachments of people's defence where formed under direct command of Section for protection of people, and later Department for protection of people - OZNA. From those units in second half of 1944 brigade where formed, and in December 1944, Bosanian-Herzegovina division of KNOJ was formed.

In Croatia, GS NOV i PO Croatia in beginning of June 1943 in village Crna Vlast formed first battalion PPK (protiv pete kolone - against fifth column), and later another one in Banija. In first half of 1944 five more such units where formed. From these PPK battalions on 16 June 1944 the 1st Brigade of OZN was formed. Until August 1944 for more brigades where formed, and on 5 August 1944 division of OZN was formed. From units of that division od 20 August 1944 the 9th Croatian division of KNOJ was formed. In March 1944 in Slovenia, from companies and battalions of VOS, Army of state security - Vojska drÅ¾avne bezbednosti (varnosti) - was formed, it had three brigades and special battalion. From those units on 3 December 1944 the 1stSlovenian division of KNOJ was formed. In Montenegro in middle of 1944 Brigade of people's defence was formed. In Macedonia, Serbia, Vojvodina, Kosovo and Methoija, after creation of liberated territory, beginning in the middle of 1944 from battalions of OZN, partisan guards and renamed units of NOVJ, formations of KNOJ where formed.

In charge of KNOJ activities was commissioner for people's defence over head of OZN. In all republics division have been formed and also in Autonomous Region of Vojvodina and Autonomous Area of Kosovo and Metohija. Units have been deployed in the field depending on security needs. During missions command and headquarters of KNOJ did close cooperation and worked together with OZN.

Tasks:

combat against bandit groups:

chetniks,

ustasha,

balista,

white guard and other remains of quisling formations on entire territory;

cleaning actions of liberated territory from:

spies,

fifth column,

saboteurs

and capturing deserters;

securing central government authorities and under institutions of NOP:

National committee for liberation of Yugoslavia,

Supreme Headquarters NOV i POJ,

anti-fascist councils,

general Staffs,

OZN authorities etc;

guarding:

costs,

ports,

state borders,

certain installations along railway,

institutes and factories producing for needs of people's defense;

carrying out tasks received from OZN, participation's in different actions:

pursuits,

ambushes,

search of houses and doing identifications of persons,

making arrest etc.

Odlukom Vrhovnog komandanta oruÅ¾anih snaga u januaru 1953. K. je ukinut. Njegove zadatke na granicama preuzele su GraniÄne jedinice JNA (v.), a na unutraÅ¡ajem sektoru bezbednosti Narodna milicija. KNOJ je dao veliki doprinos u pobedi nad ostacima oruÅ¾anog dela kontrarevolucije i zaÅ¡titi najvaÅ¾nijih industrijskih objekata u naÅ¡oj zemlji.

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