1992 Yugoslav People's Army column incident in Sarajevo

1992 battle of the Bosnian War Sarajevo May 2 1992.JPG 1992 JNA Column ambush in Sarajevo Siege of Sarajevo 3 May 1992 Dobrovoljačka Street, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 43 51 21.5 N 18 25 17.2 E region:RS inline,title Bosnian victory JNA column stopped Several JNA vehicles looted Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Serbia and Montenegro FR Yugoslavia United Nations Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnian ArmyRepublic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Green Beret militias Serbia and Montenegro JNAUnited Nations UNPROFOR Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Jusuf Prazina (alleged) Serbia and Montenegro Milutin Kukanjac United Nations Lewis Mackenzie Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ~200 soldiers and police Serbia and Montenegro ~270 soldiersSerbia and Montenegro 38 vehiclesUnited Nations ~10 UN Observers United Nations 4 vehicles Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 16 killed Serbia and Montenegro 8-42 killedSerbia and Montenegro 71–73 woundedSerbia and Montenegro 215 captured 1–23 civilians killed The 1992 Yugoslav People's Army column incident in Sarajevo occurred on 3 May 1992 in Dobrovoljačka Street, Sarajevo, when members of the Bosnian Army (ARBiH) attacked a convoy of the Yugoslav Army (JNA) troops that were exiting the city of Sarajevo according to the withdrawal agreement. Background The attack is thought to have happened in retaliation for the arrest of the President of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Alija Izetbegović, who was detained at the Sarajevo Airport by the Yugoslav army the previous day.New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/03/world/sarajevo-s-center-erupts-in-war-weakening-yugoslav-truce-effort.html?scp=1&sq=sarajevo%20may%203%201992&st=cse John F. Burns Sarajevo's Center Erupts in War, Weakening Yugoslav Truce Effort 3 May 1992 7 March 2011 Attack The attack occurred against a JNA convoy that was retreating and being escorted by UN peacekeeping troops. The soldiers were withdrawing from their surrounded JNA barracks in Sarajevo's old town district of Bistrik as part of what they thought was a truce and swap deal for Izetbegović. Jovan Divjak had stated that the day prior, the JNA attempted to take Sarajevo, shelling parts of the city. The city's post office was sabotaged as well, making it difficult to establish communication lines for the Bosnian army corps.Karabeg Omer What Really Happened During The Dobrovoljacka Attack? https://www.rferl.org/a/What_Really_Happened_During_The_Dobrovoljacka_Attack/1977945.html Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty 8 March 2010 The goal was for General Milutin Kukanjac, the commander of the JNA in Sarajevo, and the soldiers to cross over to Lukavica, a settlement in the eastern part of the city, that was under Serb control at the time. The column of about 40 vehicles accompanied by UN vehicles, led by General Lewis MacKenzie, was cut off. The convoy was separated when a car was driven into it, followed by shooting.The Dobrovoljačka case - 30 years of one of the most controversial episodes of the war in Yugoslavia https://en.vijesti.me/bbc/602559/the-case-of-the-volunteer-30-years-of-one-of-the-most-controversial-episodes-of-the-war-in-Yugoslavia Vijesti 3 May 2022 In his book Peacekeeper: The road to Sarajevo, Mackenzie described what he saw: "I could see the Territorial Defense soldiers push the rifles through the windows of civilians' cars, which were part of the convoy, and shoot [...] I saw blood flow down the windshields. It was definitely the worst day of my life." Aftermath 215 JNA soldiers were captured in the incident. 73 were wounded. Serb prosecutors stated that 42 JNA soldiers were killed in the attack on May 2 and 3 throughout Sarajevo and have named case that covers these events "Case Dobrovoljačka". General Milutin Kukanjac, the commander of the JNA in Sarajevo, confirmed that just in Dobrovoljačka street alone 4 officers, one soldier and one civilian were killed in the attack.B92 http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=03&dd=05&nav_category=64&nav_id=497006 Sarajevo ogorčeno zbog Divjaka March 5, 2011 March 7, 2011 Investigation and charges An investigation was opened by the Serbian Prosecutors Office and has stirred controversy both in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. Two members of the State Presidency, Haris Silajdžić and Željko Komšić, claimed Serbia's action breached the Rome Agreement.http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/hr-rol/thedept/war-crime-tr/default.asp?content_id=6093 Rome Agreement www.ohr.int 12 January 2022 https://web.archive.org/web/20100619162403/http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/hr-rol/thedept/war-crime-tr/default.asp?content_id=6093 19 June 2010 dead The presidents attended a meeting with members of the wartime Presidency of Bosnia, namely Tatjana Ljujić-Mijatović, Ivo Komšić, Miro Lazović and Ejup Ganić, and concluded that Serbia had breached the 1996 Rome Agreement, failed to seek the ICTY's opinion before taking action and had "therefore breached international legal provisions".Mackic Erna Serbian Probe into JNA Deaths Alarms Bosnians http://www.balkaninsight.com/en/main/news/18366/ Balkan Investigative Reporting Network A Belgrade court issued arrest warrants for 19 former Bosnian-government officials. Ejup Ganić, a former member of the Bosnian wartime presidency who was among the people sought for the attack, dismissed the allegations, indicating the attack on the JNA column was aimed at striking at Izetbegović's kidnappers after his capture by Bosnian Serb forces.Vasovic Aleksandar Serbia charges 19 Bosnian officials with war crimes https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLQ582113 Reuters 26 February 2009 Ganić was arrested in London, but was quickly released since Judge Timothy Workman ruled that the JNA was an enemy army at war with Bosnia and Herzegovina and thus, a legitimate target.http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/63FBA6BB-59F4-4BAF-BA78-95FED04AAEC2/0/serbiavganic27072010.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20110601205811/http://www.judiciary.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/63FBA6BB-59F4-4BAF-BA78-95FED04AAEC2/0/serbiavganic27072010.pdf dead June 1, 2011 The Government of the Republic of Serbia vs. Ejup Ganić Workman Timothy July 27, 2010 City of Westminster Magistrates’ Court 3 4 March 2011 In 2003 The International Tribunal for Justice dismissed the case, stating that the actions of the ArBiH did not constitute a breach of law.Gutman Roy Serbia pursues Ejup Ganic for war crimes. Or is it a vendetta? https://www.csmonitor.com/World/Europe/2010/0412/Serbia-pursues-Ejup-Ganic-for-war-crimes.-Or-is-it-a-vendetta Christian Science Monitor 12 April 2010 On 3 March 2011, Jovan Divjak was arrested in Vienna due to Serbia's arrest warrant. However, Austria said it would not extradite him to Belgrade.Reuters http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-55380420110307 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305161648/http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-55380420110307 dead March 5, 2016 Austria won't send Bosnia general to Serbia March 7, 2011 March 7, 2011 In 2003, the ICTY also ruled that there was no ground for prosecution of Divjak.RULES OF THE ROAD: NO GROUNDS FOR PROSECUTION OF GENERAL DIVJAK http://www.sense-agency.com/icty/rules-of-the-road-no-grounds-for-prosecution-of-general-divjak.29.html?news_id=12580&cat_id=1 Sense Agency March 3, 2011 March 7, 2011 March 16, 2012 https://web.archive.org/web/20120316215727/http://www.sense-agency.com/icty/rules-of-the-road-no-grounds-for-prosecution-of-general-divjak.29.html?news_id=12580&cat_id=1 dead In April 2022, a Sarajevo court charged Ganić and nine other former Bosniak political and military leaders with war crimes over the incident. They were accused of having "planned, attacked and incited [others to attack] the undefended convoy.. escorted by the UN peace forces", as well as having failed to either prevent the killings or punish the perpetrators of the attack.Sarajevo court charges Bosniak ex-leaders with war crimes https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/4/27/bosniak-ex-leaders-charged-with-war-crimes Al Jazeera 27 April 2022 In July 2022, they pled not guilty in court.Tausan Marija Wartime Bosniak Leader Pleads Innocent to Attack on Yugoslav Troops https://balkaninsight.com/2022/07/12/wartime-bosniak-leader-pleads-innocent-to-attack-on-yugoslav-troops/ Balkan Insight 12 July 2022 See also 1992 Yugoslav People's Army column incident in Tuzla References 2 Category:Siege of Sarajevo Category:1992 in Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:Attacks in 1992 Category:Controversies in Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:May 1992 in Europe Category:Ambushes of the Yugoslav Wars Category:Yugoslav People's Army Category:Battles of the Bosnian War Category:1992 road incidents Category:1992 controversies Category:Road incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:1990s road incidents in Europe