At the beginning of World War II in Yugoslavia, Rogatica and all of eastern Bosnia along with Sandžak in Serbia became part of the Independent State of Croatia.

[4] The rebels forced the town's garrison, consisting of the Croatian Home Guard, Ustaše and the local Muslim Militia, to flee toward Mesići.

[4] That afternoon, Muslim Militia forces commanded by Zulfo Dumandžić recruited reinforcement in Višegrad and with support of Ustaše and Croatian Home Guard returned to recapture Rogatica, burning Zagorice along the way and massacring its population.

[3] The main aim of the Chetnik-Partisan offensive on Rogatica, Knežina and Žepa in October 1941 was to connect rebel-controlled territories in eastern Bosnia and western Serbia.

[10] The Chetnik company commanded by Žarko Mitrović was first to successfully break into the town, but they had to retreat after a counterattack, leaving 6 or 8 dead.

[11] According to post-war communist sources, during the surrender negotiations, three aeroplanes attacked the besieging forces with bombs, but since they flew at very low height, two were shot down.

According to some sources, both Chetniks and Partisans executed the local Ustaše commander and continued to kill Muslims.