Sulejman Pačariz
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Sulejman Pačariz Hodja |
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|---|---|
| Died | 1945 |
| Allegiance | |
| Years of service | 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit |
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| Battles/wars | |
Sulejman Hafiz Pačariz (? — 1945) was an Islamic cleric and commander of the detachment of Muslim militia from Hisardžik (Prijepolje, modern-day Serbia) during the Second World War. When Germans took over control over Sandžak in 1943 Pačariz was appointed as commander of SS Polizei-Selbstschutz-Regiment Sandschak. Forces under his command were referred to as Pačarizovci (as belonging to Pačariz). He allegedly led his forces while riding a black horse. In 1945 Pačariz was captured, put on trial, found guilty for massacres of civilians and executed as war criminal.
At the beginning of the Second World War in Yugoslavia Ustaše forces of the Independent State of Croatia occupied Sandžak and appointed Pačariz, together with some other Muslim notables from Sandžak, on paid positions of military officers of Sandžak Muslim militia. They were initially given the ranks of Majors and engaged against Serbs. By September 1941 Ustaše handed the control over Sandžak to Italians. At the end of the autumn Montenegrin communists negotiated with Pačariz but failed to convince him and his subordinated officer to join Partisans. Pačariz mobilized Muslims who lived in Prijepolje, on the right bank of Lim and former municipalities Velika Župa and Seljašnica. He received arms and military equipment from Ustaše and later from Italians.
In mid November 1941 Chetnik unit of 40 men went to Kosatica trying to disarm Muslim militia commanded by Sulejman Pačariz. Militiamen refused to surrender their arms and in subsequent struggle two of them were killed while one Chetnik was wounded. To revenge death of his two men, Muslim militia under command of Pačariz attacked part of Kosatica populated by Serbs and captured, brutally tortured and killed seven Serbs from Kosatica.
On 22 December 1941 forces of Muslim militia from Hisardžik, commanded by Pačariz, and from Sjenica successfully repelled the attack of Partisans who tried to capture Sjenica. In this battle 18 Partisans were captured. Pačariz occasionally visited them in Sjenica prison. In February 1942 Pačariz was engaged by the command of Italian forces in Prijepolje to go to Sjenica and escort 18 Partisans who were captured on 22 December 1941. Italians intended to exchange captured Partisans for captured Italians. He escorted 13 Partisans to Prijepolje, leaving 5 wounded Partisans in Sjenica. All Partisans Pačariz brought to Italians were shot in Purića stream, below Srijetež.
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