Battle of Velika Kladuša (1993)

Battle of Velika Kladuša
Part of the Bosnian War and Inter-Bosnian Muslim War
Date 18 October 1993 Location Velika Kladuša, Bosnia and Herzegovina Result Western Bosnian victory
Belligerents
Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia	Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commanders and leaders
Fikret Abdić	Atif Dudaković Ramiz Dreković
Units involved
National Defence of the APZB	5th Corps
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

The Battle of Velika Kladuša was one of the first battles in the Inter-Bosnian Muslim War. The goal of the 5th Corps was the abolition of Western Bosnia, which had been established a few weeks before the battle of Velika Kladuša.^[1] The attack did not succeed and Western Bosnia was a thorn in the eye of the 5th Corps until Operation Storm.^[2]

Background

Fikret Abdić was the winner of the popular vote to head the government of Bosnia in 1990 but surrendered to Alija Izetbegović under an undisclosed agreement.^[3]

In 1993, according to journalist Anthony Loyd, Abdić decided to try to carve out a little state for himself and succeeded in recruiting enough followers to make his dreams a reality. Abdić was able to hold power over his mini-state. The 5th Corps was strictly against Abdić's idea, and was preparing to abolish the APZB and destroy the NOZB.^{[citation needed]}

Fighting

Early in the morning on 18 October 1993, the column of the 5th Corps under the command of Ramiz Dreković headed towards Velika Kladuša with the task of eliminating the APZB as a military threat.^[4] The motivation was even greater for the 5th Corps attack because the APZB was not in an alliance with the Serbs, Abdić was alone. When the 5th Corps approached Velika Kladuša, they began shelling the city. ARBiH soldiers tried to break into the city, but the NOZB prevented them from doing so. The Autonomists held off the 5th Corps offensive.^[5] And they started a counter-offensive, when the 5th Corps got into that situation they retreated. After that, Fikret wanted alliance with Serbs who will arm the NOZB and help it survive.^[6]

An important event took place on 22 October 1993, when Fikret Abdić, Radovan Karadžić and Slobodan Milosević met, where decisions on mutual cooperation were made, showed a great commitment to normal relations and peace between the Muslim side of Fikret Abdić and the Serbian sides.^[7]

References

1. Šabanagić, Esad (2023-10-22). "Tefter (516): Zašto i kako smo oktobra 1993. zaratovali na području Velike Kladuše". Reprezent (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-10-12.
2. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 374. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
3. Dawisha, Karen; Parrott, Bruce (1997-06-13). Politics, Power and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 132–137. ISBN 9780521597333.
4. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 188. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
5. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 414. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
6. Fotini, Christia (2008). "Following the Money: Muslim versus Muslim in Bosnia's Civil War". Comparative Politics. 40 (4): 461–480. doi:10.5129/001041508X12911362383390. JSTOR 20434096. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
7. Bosnia, Archive of Western. "Archive of Western Bosnia". Archive of Western Bosnia. Retrieved 2024-10-12.