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Battle Of Kumanovo




  partof First Balkan War
  date October 10-13 (OS) 1912
  place Kumanovo , Republic Of Macedonia
  result Serbian victory
  combatant1 Serbia
  combatant2 Ottoman Empire
  commander1 Gen Radomir Putnik
  commander2 Gen Zekki Pasha


The Battle of Kumanovo was a major battle of the First Balkan War of 1912 , during which Serbia n forces under the command of General (later Field Marshal) Radomir Putnik defeated the Ottoman army of General Zekki.

After the outbreak of hostilities, three Serbian Armies advanced southwads into Macedonia towards Skopje. On the Serbian right, the 2nd Army under Gen Stepanovic, in the middle the 1st Army under Crown Prince Alexander , and on the left the 3rd Army under Gen Yankovic. After defeating the Turkish forces in Kosovo on October 9, the Serbian Army took Pristina. On the same day, Crown Prince Alexander halted the advance of his 1st Army, and deployed it defensively. Zekki Pasha used the opportunity and on October 10, he ordered his 7th Corps to attack the Serbs. The Serbs repulsed the attack, going over into a counterattack themselves shortly after midnight. With heavy artillery support, they launched a full-scale offensive on the 12th. Despite suffering heavy casualties, the Serbs managed to make progress and push the 7th Corps back. Then Gen Zekki sent his 6th Corps to reinforce the wavering front, but when the 7th Corps broke and retreated, it spread the panic to 6th Corps as well. The Serbian 1st Army, pursuing the fleeing Turks, entered Kumanovo , and on October 13, Skopje surrendered without a fight, while the 2nd Army occupied Štip , cutting the Ottoman forces in the Balkans in two.

After this success, the Serbs continued their advance southwards with the 1st and 3rd Armies towards Prilep , while 2nd Army was sent to assist the Bulgarians around Adrianople (see Siege Of Adrianople ). On October 22/November 3, the Serbian Army fought the Battle Of Prilep .