User:Orhov/sandbox
| Operation Cerska '93 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Bosnian War | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Republika SrpskaSupported by: .svg){kind=small} Yugoslav Army |
 Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Ratko Mladić Milomir Savčić |
Naser Orić | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
 Army of Republika Srpska |
 Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 4,000 - 8,000 troops | 4,000 - 6,000 troops | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 43 killed, 71 wounded | 300 - 400 killed | ||||||||
Operation Cerska '93 (Serbian: Operacija Cerska '93, Операција Церска '93) was a military offensive undertaken by the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) against the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) from 10 February to 16 March 1993, the main goal of the VRS launched offensive were to stiffen the ARBiH’s military capability in Srebrenica, which would result in the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) capturing Srebrenica.
The VRS would successfully capture the Bratunac road and would move onto more important areas in the south, the ARBiH led by Naser Orić would launch a full-scale attack, this attack failed and the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s military in the area would capitulate. The VRS successfully stiffened ARBiH resistance in Srebrenica, the United Nations offered a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons of evacuating trapped civilians in besieged Srebrenica, however the VRS was not interested and wanted to negotiate the surrender of the town.
Background
[edit]As the Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska narodna armija – JNA) withdrew from Croatia following the acceptance and start of implementation of the Vance plan, its 55,000 officers and soldiers born in Bosnia and Herzegovina were transferred to a new Bosnian Serb army, which was later renamed the Army of Republika Srpska (Vojska Republike Srpske – VRS). This reorganisation followed the declaration of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina on 9 January 1992, ahead of the 29 February – 1 March 1992 referendum on the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. This declaration would later be cited by the Bosnian Serbs as a pretext for the Bosnian War.[1] Bosnian Serbs began fortifying the capital, Sarajevo, and other areas on 1 March. On the following day, the first fatalities of the war were recorded in Sarajevo and Doboj. In the final days of March, Bosnian Serb forces bombarded Bosanski Brod with artillery, drawing a border crossing by the HV 108th Brigade in response.[2] On 4 April, JNA artillery began shelling Sarajevo.[3]
The JNA and the VRS in Bosnia and Herzegovina faced the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine – ARBiH) and the Croatian Defence Council (Hrvatsko vijeće obrane – HVO), reporting to the Bosniak-dominated central government and the Bosnian Croat leadership respectively, as well as the HV, which occasionally supported HVO operations.[2] A UN arms embargo introduced in September 1991, had hampered the preparation of the various forces,[4] but in late April, the VRS was able to deploy 200,000 troops, along with hundreds of tanks, armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and artillery pieces, while the HVO and the Croatian Defence Forces (Hrvatske obrambene snage – HOS) could field approximately 25,000 soldiers and a handful of heavy weapons. The ARBiH was largely unprepared, however, lacking heavy weapons and possessing small arms for less than half of its force of approximately 100,000 troops.[5] By mid-May 1992, when those JNA units which had not been transferred to the VRS withdrew from Bosnia and Herzegovina to the newly declared Federal Republic of Yugoslavia,[6] the VRS controlled approximately 60 percent of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[7]
Prelude
[edit]In retaliation to the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) besieging Srebrenica and attacking nearby Bosnian Muslim villages, and blocking UN Medical convoys, the Bosnian army in Srebrenica led by Naser Orić would launch 2 offensives on the villages of Kravica and Skelani on the Drina river. More than 100 Civilians and VRS personnel were killed in both attacks. Ratko Mladić would personally launch an counteroffensive on the Srebrenica and Žepa enclaves, throughout February 10th to March 16 1993, pushing the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina back to Srebrenica where Naser Orić and his ragtag band of Fighters would launch attacks on the VRS until the Srebrenica massacre in 1995.
Opposing forces
[edit]VRS and VJ forces
[edit]At the beginning of the offensive, there would be normally 2,500 - 3,000 troops in Srebrenica, attacking the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, however there would be an additional 4,000 troops added in as reinforcements for the offensive, those included multiple VRS units and some brigades from FR Yugoslavia, these units were supervised and led by Ratko Mladić and Milomir Savčić.
- 65th Protection Motorized Brigade
- 1st Guards Motorized Brigade
- 5th Mixed Artillery Regiment
- Zvornik Brigade
- Garda Panteri
- 1st Birac Brigade
- 1st Bratunac Brigade
- 6th Sanske Brigade
- 63rd Parachute Brigade
- 72nd Brigade for Special Operations
- Red Berets
ARBiH forces
[edit]The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina had around 4,000 - 6,000 troops, the ARBiH in Srebrenica would receive no reinforcements despite a statement made by Sefer Halilović, stating they were going to launch a relief operation in Srebrenica. The 2nd Corps, would launch their relief operation, but it did nothing to delay the VRS. The ARBiH in Srebrenica were commanded by Naser Orić, who was the leader commander in Srebrenica. Commanding the 6th Žepa Shock battalion was Avdo Palić.
- 6th Zepa Shock Battalion
- 1st Potocari Brigade
3 or 4 other ARBiH brigades defending Srebrenica.
Timeline
[edit]Phase I
[edit]
On February 10, the VRS would launch Operation Cerska by first attacking the ARBiH in northern Cerska, the Zvornik Brigade along with the 65th Protective Brigade would attack the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina with separate brigades advancing into the the enclave, after 6 days of intense combat the Bosnian Army retreated south.
In the Bratunac roads, the Garda Panteri and the 1st Bratunac shifted its advanced and attack to the southern portion of the entryway to Cerska, about a week later the VRS captured 3 strategic towns which allowed Water supply, the towns being: Boljevac, Voljavica and Sikirica. The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina managed to stop the VRS in Gradina, where various land mines were laid, the 1st Guards and the 1st Birac Brigade would then attack Cerska and a portion around it, the 1st Birac and 1st Guards attacked via South and West, On March 1st the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina personnel defending Cerska had collapsed the VRS then advanced deep into Cerska. As a result the citizens in Cerska fled towards Zvornik, the VRS proceeded to Burn Villages near Cerska.
A few weeks later, the VRS would launch an attack after British UN troops had left the Konjevic Pole, the VRS goal was to recapture the Zvornik-Polje and Bratunac-Konjevic roads and area, this action would be spearheaded by the; 1st Zvornik Brigade, 1st Guards Motorized Brigade, 65th Protection Regiment, 6th Sanske Brigade, and the 1st Bratunac Brigade would attack via southeast and push the ARBiH forces back, after 3 to 4 days of fighting the area had been secured by the VRS.
Phase II
[edit]Once the Bratunac roads had been fully secured and occupied, the VRS would intend to push into Srebrenica from Skelani, there was a pause in the offensive, during this time the VRS would order the 65th Protection Brigade and the 1st Motorized Guards brigade to move to Skelani, where they would push into Srebrenica and link with other VRS and VJ units, which included the; 1st Motorized Guards Brigade, 65th Protection Brigade, 63rd Parachute Brigade, 72nd Special Operations Brigade, Garda Panteri and the Red Berets, also supporting the attack were 2 Yugoslav Army artillery battalions.
The attack began on March 20, with the VRS seizing the Sase lead and the Zinc mining area, then advancing towards Zalazje. The actual attack began the same day, led by Ratko Mladić. The VRS and VJ would advance towards Kradjl Vode, where the Bosnian army had a line of defenses, advancing along the hilltop, the VRS captured the Bosnian defense line in 2 days.
The VRS and VJ proceeded to push to Osmace, 2 days later the VRS attacked the village, pushing the Bosnian Army 7 kilometers towards Srebrenica. The VRS decided to attack Zeleni Jadar, which was the main defense line of Srebrenica, if a success, the VRS could cut of the water supply to Srebrenica and quickly take the town. Naser Orić ordered an all-ours counterattack, pushing the Serbs back to Osmace, the Serbs dug trenches however a second pause occurred during the offensive.
After that, the VRS shelled ARBiH positions and the 1st Guards Motorized Brigade launched an assault on the village of Skenderovici, the 63rd Parachute Brigade with the 65th Protection Brigade would advance to Zeleni Jadar, the unit on the northeast, Panthers advanced towards the Sase lead. The 63rd and 65th took over the Water supply, the other units were advancing from pressing towards Srebrenica, 7 Kilometers needed to be traveled to arrive in Srebrenica, however Naser Orić’s Sabatoge-Reconnaissance unit had launched a counter-attack on the Serbs, as a result the Water supply and Zeleni Jadar had been retaken by Bosnian Forces. Over the course of a couple weeks, the VRS and ARBiH fought intensely on the frontlines, even with heavy artillery support, the ARBiH fiercely resisted the VRS advance, until the VRS made a breakthrough on April 14 now, the Serbs had taken the surrounding mountains by Srebrenica.
With the Serbian victory on April 14, the VRS saw massive gains, first with the Garda Panteri whom captured Zalazje and the surrounding hills, Most importantly, the 1st Motorized Guards captured more than 1,000 meters of land. The 65th Protective Regiment attacked Zeleni Jadar, with the “Night of Terror” fresh in their minds, intense combat was fought between 17-18 April on Zeleni Jadar, which marked the last intense fighting during the Cerska 93 Operation, Aside with UNPROFOR and United Nations peacekeepers intervening, whom did not interfere with the VRS.
Role of the UN
[edit]
The Serb offensive in Cerska was particularly brutal to the civilians living in the area, On March 1st the United States of America started a humanitarian mission, airdropping supply crates. However, March 1st was when Cerska fell into Bosnian-Serb hands, as a result the VRS took the supply crates, which were intended for the ARBiH and Civilians. 4 Days later, UNPROFOR General Philippe Morillon traveled to Cerska, wanting to examine the situation in the Srebrenica enclave, and to possibly negotiate the evacuation of civilians, then Morillon went to Konjevic Pole, stating the visit there was “emotional”, the UN had plans to evacuate wounded citizens. Then, Morillon went to Srebrenica stating “I will never abandon you.” The UN intervention in Cerska had halted the Operation for a few days, however the VRS were interested in capturing Cerska and brushed aside the UN requests.
Around March 28, the United Nations requested a ceasefire for humanitarian reasons, the UN wanted to evacuate the civilians during the ceasefire, however the Bosnians considered that the UN convoys evacuating the civilians would be ambushed by the VRS, achieving their goals of ethnically cleansing Bosnian civilians. As a result the Bosnian government blocked the roads. The VRS wanted to use the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees too call for a surrender for Cerska, the VRS stated that a surrender would be put in place or the VRS would take the town in 2-3 days, the surrender was never accepted and the VRS captured Cerska, what followed was an alleged mass-killing, however when UN General Morillon stated:
I did not see any dead bodies in the street, I'm an experienced soldier and unfortunately I know the aroma of death. I smelled no blood in Cerska, but I can only tell what I've seen.
After about a Month, In April, Naser Orić Stated to the UN that he cold no longer hold Srebrenica from the VRS and VJ, as a result Orić requested a message to the UNPROFOR, the UN again attempted to negotiate with the VRS for a ceasefire, which was done to stop the VRS from making a push into Srebrenica and ethnically cleanse Bosnian civilians. The UN offered a Muslim Surrender, Ratko Mladić agreed to this, being: Canadian UN troops would disarm Orić’s soldiers. Srebrenica was then made a declared UN Safe zone on April 16th. When the Canadian Peacekeepers Arrived, The Bosnian army had not been fully disarmed. Naser Orić would continue to launch attacks on the VRS throughout 1993-1995, as a result the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) and Scorpions would kill 8,000 Bosniak men.
References
[edit]Sources
[edit]- ^ Ramet 2006, p. 382.
- ^ a b Ramet 2006, p. 427.
- ^ Ramet 2006, p. 428.
- ^ The Independent & 10 October 1992.
- ^ CIA 2002, pp. 143–144.
- ^ CIA 2002, p. 137.
- ^ Burns 12 May 1992.