Battle of Grbavica (1993)
| Battle of Grbavica | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Siege of Sarajevo | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
 Republika Srpska |
 Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
 Aleksandar Škrabov |
Unknown | ||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
|
 Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| Unknown | Unknown | ||||||||
The Battle of Grbavica was one of the many battles fought between the VRS and the ARBiH in the siege of Sarajevo. The year 1993 was the most difficult year for Grbavica, she was constantly attacked. Until the end of the war, Grbavica remained part of Republika Srpska, but was later given to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Dayton Agreement.[1]
Background
[edit]Grbavica was primarily a residential area before the war, but due to its elevated position, it provided a commanding view of the city. The neighborhood was taken by Serb forces early in the conflict, and it became part of a front line that divided Sarajevo. The Serb forces, particularly those from the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS), used Grbavica as a stronghold to shell and snipe at the city, contributing to the siege that lasted nearly four years.[2]
Battle
[edit]Grbavica is a neighborhood in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it became a major battleground due to its strategic importance.[3]
The battle for Grbavica was part of the broader effort by Bosnian government forces to break the siege of Sarajevo. The area saw intense fighting as Bosnian forces attempted to reclaim the territory from the Serbs.[4] In 1993, the ARBiH tried to capture Grbavica with many attacks, but they failed. The neighborhood was heavily fortified by the Serbs, making any offensive efforts costly and difficult. In 1994, Russian general Aleksandar Škrabov was killed in Grbavica.[5][6] Bosniaks have reduced the number of attacks on the VRS and Russian volunteers in 1994. And in 1995 they have diverted attention from Grbavica to an attempt end the siege of Sarajevo in operation Tekbir 95, which ended disastrously for Bosniaks.[7]
Outcome
[edit]Army of Republika Srpska successfully defended Grbavica against the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. During the wartime on Grbavica was also present the expelling of non-Serbs from the Sarajevo settlements.[8] The Battle of Grbavica ended with the Dayton Peace Accords in December 1995, which brought an end to the war. Under the terms of the agreement, Grbavica was handed back to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[9]
References
[edit]- ^ "Dayton Peace Accords on Bosnia". US Department of State. 30 March 1996. Archived from the original on 22 May 2011. Retrieved 19 March 2006.
- ^ Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
- ^ Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
- ^ Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 409. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
- ^ Janić, Nikola (2024-05-29). "Aleksandar Škrabov Vladimirovič – Saša Rus | Koreni" (in Serbian). Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ "Sahrana majora Aleksandra Škrabova, komandanta ruskih plaćenika u Sarajevu /VIDEO/ – SAFF Portal" (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-08-10.
- ^ Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 186. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
- ^ https://balkaninsight.com/2013/02/27/new-trial-for-crimes-at-grbavica-starts/
- ^ Arnautović, Marija (2016-03-18). "Dan kad je Grbavica vraćena Sarajevu". Radio Slobodna Evropa (in Serbo-Croatian). Retrieved 2024-08-10.
Sources
[edit]- Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis (2002). Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990–1995, Volume 1. Washington, D.C.: Central Intelligence Agency. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.