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Battle of Šibenik
Part of the Croatian War of Independence
ZadarŠibenikSplitSinjKnin Šibenik on the map of Croatia. JNA-held area in late December 1991 are highlighted red.
Date 16 September – 22 September 1991 (6 days) Location Northern Dalmatia, Croatia Result Croatian victory
Belligerents
Yugoslavia SAO Krajina	Croatia
Commanders and leaders
Mile Kandić Vladimir Vuković Ratko Mladić Borislav Đukić	Anton Tus Rahim Ademi Milivoj Petković Luka Vujić Josip Juras
Units involved
Yugoslav People's Army Yugoslav Ground Forces 221st Mechanised Brigade 46th Partisan Division 9th Mixed Artillery Regiment Yugoslav Navy 11th Marine Infantry Brigade Krajina Territorial Defense	Croatian National Guard 4/4th Guards Brigade 113th Infantry Brigade Croatian Police
Casualties and losses
Unknown	3 soldiers killed 49 soldiers wounded
7 civilians killed 64 civilians wounded

The Battle of Šibenik (Croatian: Bitka za Šibenik), also known as the September War (Rujanski rat), was an armed conflict fought between the Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA), supported by the Croatian Serb-established Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Krajina (SAO Krajina), and the Croatian National Guard (Zbor Narodne Garde – ZNG), supported by the Croatian Police. The battle was fought to the north and west of the city of Šibenik, Croatia on 16–22 September 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence. The JNA's initial orders were to relieve Croatian siege of their barracks in the city and isolate the region of Dalmatia from the rest of Croatia. The JNA's advance was supported by the Yugoslav Air Force and the Yugoslav Navy.

Fighting stopped following a Croatian counter-attack that pushed the JNA back from the outskirts of Šibenik. Although some ground was lost to the Yugoslavs, especially around the town of Drniš, northeast of Šibenik, the ZNG captured several JNA and Yugoslav Navy facilities in the city, including dozens of navy vessels and several coastal artillery batteries. The captured batteries were used to support defence of the city. The JNA Šibenik garrison was evacuated following an agreement between the Croatian officials and the JNA, except for several comparably small JNA posts in the city which were captured by the ZNG.

The September–October fighting caused three Croatian military and seven civilian deaths, as well as more than a hundred wounded. JNA bombarded Šibenik, causing damage to numerous structures, including the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The New York Times judged the bombardment to be a part of calculated assaults on the heritage of Croatia. Artillery bombardment of the city continued over the following 100 days.

Background

In 1990, following the electoral defeat of the government of the Socialist Republic of Croatia, ethnic tensions worsened. The Yugoslav People's Army (Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA) confiscated Croatia's Territorial Defence weapons to minimise resistance. On 17 August, tensions escalated into an open revolt of the Croatian Serbs, centred on the predominantly Serb-populated areas of the Dalmatian hinterland around Knin, parts of the Lika, Kordun, Banovina and eastern Croatia, largely fueled by recollections of the Serbs of the genocide to which they had been subjected in the Independent State of Croatia during World War II, and their resultant unwillingness to be minorities in an independent Croatia.

After two unsuccessful attempts by Serbia, supported by Montenegro and Serbia's provinces of Vojvodina and Kosovo, to obtain the Yugoslav Presidency's approval of a JNA operation to disarm Croatian security forces in January 1991, and a bloodless skirmish between Serb insurgents and Croatian special police in March, the JNA itself, supported by Serbia and its allies, asked the federal Presidency to give it wartime authorities and declare a state of emergency. The request was denied on 15 March, and the JNA came under control of Serbian President Slobodan Milošević. Milošević, preferring a campaign to expand Serbia rather than preservation of Yugoslavia, publicly threatened to replace the JNA with a Serbian army and declared that he no longer recognised the authority of the federal Presidency. The threat caused the JNA to gradually abandon plans to preserve Yugoslavia in favour of expansion of Serbia. By the end of the month, the conflict had escalated to the first fatalities. The JNA stepped in, supporting the insurgents, and preventing Croatian police from intervening. In early April, leaders of the Serb revolt in Croatia declared their intention of integration of the area under their control, viewed by the Government of Croatia as a breakaway region with Serbia.

In the beginning of 1991, Croatia had no regular army. In an effort to bolster its defence, Croatia doubled police personnel to about 20,000. The most effective part of the force was 3,000 special police, deployed in twelve battalions adopting military unit organisation. In addition, there were 9,000–10,000 regionally organised reserve police. The reserve police were set up in 16 battalions and 10 companies, but the reserve force lacked weapons. In May, the Croatian Government responded by forming the Croatian National Guard (Zbor narodne garde), but its development was hampered by a United Nations arms embargo introduced in September 1991.

Prelude

By late June and throughout July, northern Dalmatia saw daily armed skirmishes but no actual combat. Nonetheless, the increasing intensity of the conflict in the region and elsewhere in Croatia led to the preparation of bomb shelters in Zadar by city officials. Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Krajina (SAO Krajina) authorities called up three Territorial Defence units in the Zadar hinterland on 11 July, one day after another fatal shooting of a Croatian police patrol in the Zadar area, while the JNA 9th (Knin) Corps conscripted the local Serb population in Benkovac to strengthen its ranks by the end of the month. In late July, a paramilitary group, led by Miro Barešić and formally subordinated to the Croatian Ministry of Defence, conducted several sabotages in the Benkovac area. On 1 August, Croatia deployed two battalions of the ZNG 4th Guards Brigade to Kruševo near Obrovac. Two days later they engaged in combat against the SAO Krajina Territorial Defence and police forces, marking the first such engagement of the Croatian War of Independence in the region. On 26 August, the JNA 9th (Knin) Corps openly sided with the SAO Krajina forces as they jointly attacked Kijevo, expelling all Croats from the village. Another significant setback for Croatia in the region was JNA capture of the Maslenica Bridge on 11 September. That severed the last overland road link between Dalmatia and the rest of Croatia. On 11–13 September, an attack in the area of Skradin cut water and power supply to Šibenik.

On 14 September, the ZNG and the Croatian police blockaded and cut utilities to all JNA facilities located in Croatian-controlled territory, beginning the Battle of the Barracks. The move blockaded 33 large JNA garrisons in Croatia and numerous smaller facilities, including border posts, weapons and ammunition storage depots. The blockade forced the JNA to amend its planned campaign in Croatia to accommodate the new development. The same day, a coastal artillery battery on the Žirje Island was captured by Croatian forces, after JNA Senior Sergeant Željko Baltić, battery commanding officer, switched his allegiance. The battery consisted of twelve Ansaldo 90/53 guns which were once part of the armament of the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto.

Order of battle

The JNA's planned campaign included an advance in the Šibenik area by the 9th (Knin) Corps, which was tasked with isolating Dalmatia from the rest of Croatia. As it was fully mobilised and prepared for deployment, the corps began operations against the ZNG on 16 September. Its main axis of attack was directed at Vodice, with supporting advances towards Zadar, Drniš and Sinj. The push was designed to create favourable circumstances to attack Zadar, Šibenik and Split. With support from a corps-level battalion of M-84 tanks and the SAO Krajina Territorial Defence, the JNA 221st Mechanised Brigade (without its battalion of T-34 tanks), was committed to the main axis of the attack. The secondary advance, towards Biograd na Moru on the right flank, was assigned to the 180th Mechanised Brigade, supported by the armoured battalion removed from the 221st Brigade, the 557th Mixed Antitank Artillery Regiment and the SAO Krajina Territorial Defence. Offensive support was provided by the 9th Mixed Artillery Regiment and the 9th Military Police Battalion. The 221st Brigade was commanded by Colonel Borislav Đukić. Elements the 46th Partisan Division, drawn from the 24th (Kragujevac) Corps, also provided support for the corps. The JNA garrison in Šibenik barracks included the 11th Marine Infantry Brigade—one of a handful of units regularly maintained at full combat readiness.

In opposition to the JNA, the ZNG 113th Infantry Brigade, commanded by Milivoj Petković, defended the city of Šibenik together with police forces, under overall control of the Šibenik crisis centre headed by Josip Juras. The 4th Battalion of the 113th Infantry Brigade, commanded by Josip Jukica, as well as the 4th Battalion of the 4th Guards Brigade, commanded by Ivan Zelić, defended the Drniš area, 25 kilometres (16 miles) northeast of Šibenik, supported by a company of police. The 600-strong 4th Battalion of the 4th Guards Brigade represented the strongest ZNG unit in the area, while the JNA is estimated by Croatian sources to have deployed approximately 1,500 troops against Drniš. On 20 September, all Croatian combat troops in Drniš area were subordinated to Luka Vujić. The western bank of the Krka River and approaches to Vodice were controlled by the 3rd Battalion of the 113th Infantry Brigade. While small arms were sufficient to arm a part of the battalion at a time, the battalion did not have any heavy weapons.

Timeline

The offensive commenced at 16:00 (local time) on 16 September. On the left flank, the JNA advanced towards Drniš, capturing the villages of Maljkovo and Kričke, and interdicting the Drniš–Split, east of the Krka River. On the opposite river bank, the JNA advanced towards Vodice and Šibenik, threatening the city from the west, reaching the western side of the 390-metre (1,280 ft) Šibenik Bridge on the Adriatic Highway. The advance was so rapid it cut off the 1st Company of the 3rd Battalion of the ZNG 113th Infantry Brigade from the rest of the ZNG force. That day, the ZNG captured a 100-millimetre (3.9 in) coastal artillery battery near village of Zečevo. By 17 September, the commanding officer of the JNA 9th (Knin) Corps, Major General Vladimir Vuković, modified the initial deployment plan, because of strong resistance offered by the ZNG and the Croatian police, relying on populated areas and terrain features to hold back the JNA forces north of Vodice. The changes involved diverting a part of the force to attack Drniš and Sinj directly, while the remainder of the attacking force rested. The Yugoslav Navy started a blockade of Šibenik and the entire Croatian Adriatic coast.

On the night of 17/18 September, the JNA was ordered to trap and destroy the ZNG force in Drniš and the Miljevci Plateau area, while holding positions achieved elsewhere. In the morning, the JNA resumed its offensive towards Vodice, on the right flank of the attack, while the ZNG abandoned Drniš and pulled back to the village of Unešić. On 19 September, the ZNG captured an 88-millimetre (3.5 in) JNA coastal artillery battery on the Smokvica Island and the "Krušćica" barracks near Rogoznica. Weapons retrieved from the captured barracks, a shipment received from Gospić following the capture of JNA facilities in the town, as well as use of the captured artillery pieces, significantly improved ZNG's capabilities. The JNA advance south from Drniš was effectively halted that day, following three successful ambushes by the ZNG in Unešić, Pakovo Selo and south of Žitnić.

The JNA orders were changed again on 20 September, when the JNA 9th (Knin) Corps orders were supplanted by the Military-Maritime District order, issued by Vice Admiral Mile Kandić, for the corps to reorient the JNA force north of Vodice towards Šibenik and Split. This required crossing the Šibenik Bridge spanning the Krka River ria. The eastward advance—with close air support from the Yugoslav Air Force—failed, and cost the air force four aircraft shot down by the ZNG. On 22 September, a Croatian counter-attack, supported by recently acquired artillery, pushed back the JNA from the bridge by 10:00, extending the ZNG-controlled bridgehead to the area of Gaćelezi, 9 kilometres (5.6 miles) to the northwest. Four guns of the Žirje battery were used as anti-tank guns in support of the counter-attack.

On 22 September, the Croatian forces captured the JNA "Kuline" barracks in Šibenik itself along with the 15 Yugoslav Navy vessels based there. According to the Federal Secretary of National Defense, Croatian forces used tear gas during the assault on the naval facilities. In addition, 19 vessels undergoing various stages of overhaul were captured in the "Velimir Škorpik" shipyard. The ships, comprising approximately a quarter of the Yugoslav Naval assets, included: Vlado Ćetković (RTOP-402) Končar-class fast attack craft (renamed Šibenik (RTOP-21) later on), Velimir Škorpik (RČ-310) Osa-class missile boat, Partizan II (TČ-222) Shershen-class torpedo boat and Biokovo (PČ-171), Cer (PČ-180) and Durmitor (PČ-181) Mirna-class patrol boats.

On 23 September, the JNA fully secured Drniš and its surroundings. At the same time, it shifted its focus to the Battle of Zadar, away from Šibenik. The Yugoslav naval blockade was lifted unilaterally the same day. Even though a number of JNA facilities in the city were captured by the ZNG, several major JNA posts remained in Šibenik. Those included "Rade Končar" barracks housing the 11th Marine Infantry Brigade, "Ante Jonić" barracks, "Minerska" depot where naval mines were stored, "Jamnjak" depot and the "Ražine" artillery battery containing confiscated Croatian Territorial Defence weapons and "Duboka" fuel storage. The "Duboka" depot consisted of three 1,410,000-litre (310,000 imp gal; 370,000 US gal) storage tanks.

Aftermath

The JNA was defeated in the battle, subsequently nicknamed the "September War" (Rujanski rat). Its total losses in the battle were not reported. The ZNG and the Croatian police sustained losses of three killed and 49 wounded troops in the battle. At the same time seven civilians were killed and 64 wounded. JNA artillery continued intermittent bombardment of Šibenik over the following 100 days resulting in further casualties and damage. The damaged structures included the Cathedral of St. James, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. An editorial in The New York Times labeled bombardment of the cathedral as a part of the "calculated assaults" on treasures of Croatia. During the fighting, electrical substations in Bilice and Konjsko were destroyed, disrupting electric power distribution in Dalmatia.

Evacuation of the JNA facilities and surrender of the confiscated Territorial Defence weapons stored in the Šibenik–Split area was agreed on 21 November. Throughout the process, tensions remained high, and the JNA made contingency plans to break through from Knin to Šibenik and Split to relieve the siege of its forces there—codenamed Operation Coast-91 (Operacija Obala-91) and Operation Hurricane-91 (Operacija Orkan-91) respectively. All of the JNA facilities in Šibenik, along with the confiscated Territorial Defence weapons, were handed over to the Croatian authorities by 10 December.

News coverage of the battle produced television footage of ZNG air defence artillery at Zečevo firing at a Yugoslav Air Force Soko J-21 Jastreb and scoring a hit on another J-21 using a guided missile. The footage, ending in shouts claiming that both of the planes were downed, became one of the most significant pieces of material in terms of propaganda and morale in Croatia. Nonetheless, the footage proved controversial, since the first plane is not shown falling to the ground or into the sea, but diving towards the horizon after giving away a puff of smoke – variously interpreted as smoke caused by the plane's cannon fire or anti-aircraft fire damage. While the first J-21 downing remains unconfirmed, the second J-21, piloted by Croat Valter Juršić of the 240th Fighter-Bomber Aviation Squadron, was shot down by Neven Livajić using a 9K38 Igla and wreckage of the plane was retrieved.

Another controversy which arose in the aftermath of the battle pertains to the Žirje Island coastal artillery battery. Extent of the role played by the battery was disputed between Brigadier General Rahim Ademi, who claimed the bridge was beyond range of the guns, and thirteen ZNG and police officers, who held various posts in Šibenik at the time, who claimed Ademi was wrong in his assessment. After the war, the guns were removed from Žirje. As of 2010 two were refurbished in preparation for return to Žirje, as museum exhibits.

The battle is commemorated annually in Šibenik each September. There are two documentary films covering Šibenik and its surroundings during the battle: My city will be happy too (I moj će grad biti sretan) by Matea Šarić and September War 1991, Šibenik–Vodice (Rujanski rat 1991. Šibenik–Vodice) by Šime Strikoman.

Footnotes

1. Hoare 2010, p. 117
2. Hoare 2010, p. 118
3. The New York Times & 19 August 1990
4. ICTY & 12 June 2007, p. 44
5. Hoare 2010, pp. 118–119
6. Ramet 2006, pp. 384–385
7. ^ Hoare 2010, p. 119
8. The New York Times & 3 March 1991
9. The New York Times & 2 April 1991
10. CIA 2002, p. 86
11. EECIS 1999, pp. 272–278
12. The Independent & 10 October 1992
13. Ružić 2011, p. 416
14. Ružić 2011, p. 418
15. Ružić 2011, p. 420
16. Ružić 2011, pp. 420–421
17. Ružić 2011, p. 421
18. Silber & Little 1996, pp. 171–173
19. CIA 2002, p. 93
20. ^ Hrvatski vojnik & June 2010
21. ^ CIA 2002, p. 95
22. Ramet 2006, p. 401
23. CIA 2002, p. 96
24. ^ Hrvatski vojnik & November 2001
25. Slobodna Dalmacija & 26 September 2009
26. CIA 2002, p. 99
27. ^ Brigović 2011, p. 428
28. Hrvatski vojnik & September 2010
29. Slobodna Dalmacija & 2 March 2006
30. ^ Hrvatski vojnik & October 2010c
31. Marijan 2012, p. 262
32. Marijan 2003, note 20
33. ^ Slobodna Dalmacija & 18 September 2010
34. ^ Lucić 2013, p. 76
35. ^ Radio Drniš & 20 September 2011
36. Lucić 2013, p. 72
37. Lucić 2013, p. 73
38. ^ Slobodna Dalmacija & 15 September 2001
39. ^ Hrvatski vojnik & October 2010a
40. Hrvatski vojnik & October 2010b
41. Večernji list & 3 June 2011
42. Brigović 2011, p. 424
43. ^ Slobodna Dalmacija & 14 September 2010
44. Lucić 2013, pp. 76–77
45. ^ Index.hr & 21 September 2011
46. ^ Šibenik & 22 September 2011
47. Slobodna Dalmacija & 23 November 2007
48. Antić & 16 September 2018
49. ^ Brigović 2011, p. 440
50. Brigović 2011, p. 443
51. Mojzes 2011, p. 153
52. Ramet 2006, p. 400
53. The New York Times & 22 September 1991
54. Gow 2003, pp. 156–157.
55. Brigović 2011, pp. 438–439
56. Brigović 2011, p. 436
57. Večernji list & 15 September 2010
58. Slobodna Dalmacija & 7 August 2010
59. Slobodna Dalmacija & 23 September 2011
60. Jutarnji list & 15 April 2009

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v t e Wars and battles involving Croatia
Medieval wars and battles	8th/9th-century battles Siege of Trsat Rebellion of Ljudevit Battle of Kupa Battle of Makarska (887) Croatian–Hungarian wars Battle of Drava River (925) Battle of Gvozd Mountain Croatian–Bulgarian wars Croatian–Bulgarian battle of 854 Croatian–Bulgarian battle of 927 Siege of Zadar (998) Croatian-Venetian wars Battle of Omiš (948) Battle of Lastovo (1000) Siege of Zadar (1345–1346) High and Late Middle Ages wars and battles Siege of Zadar Fourth Crusade Fifth Crusade Battle of Mohi Battle of Grobnik Field (legendary) Battle of Bliska War of Hum (1326–1329) Bosnian-Dubrovnik War (1403-1404) Battle of Samobor Crusade of Varna Battle of Una Battle of Vrpile Gulch
Croatian–Ottoman wars	Hundred Years' Croatian–Ottoman War (1493–1593) Battle of Krbava Field Battle of Dubica Siege of Knin Battle of Mohács Siege of Jajce Hungarian campaign of 1527–1528 Balkan campaign of 1529 Little War in Hungary Siege of Varaždin (1527) Battle of Belaj Siege of Kőszeg Siege of Klis Katzianer's Campaign Battle of Gorjani Siege of Đurđevac (1552) Battle of Hrastovica (1561) Siege of Szigetvár Siege of Gvozdansko Battle of Slunj Siege of Bihać (1592) Battle of Brest (1592) Battle of Sisak Long War (1593–1606) Battle of Brest (1596) Battle of Keresztes Austro-Turkish War (1663–1664) First Battle of Novi Zrin Battle of Otočac (1663) Second Battle of Novi Zrin Siege of Novi Zrin (1664) Battle of Saint Gotthard (1664) Great Turkish War (1683–1699) Siege of Virovitica (1684) Osijek Incursion (1685) Battle of Mohács (1687) Siege of Udbina Castle (1689) Siege of Bihać (1697) Battle of Slankamen Battle of Senta 18th-century Ottoman wars Battle of Saint Gotthard (1705) Siege of Sinj (1715) Battle of Petrovaradin Battle of Banja Luka Relief of Drežnik (1788) Relief of Cetingrad (1790)
European 17th/18th- century wars	Thirty Years' War Uskok War Battle of Sablat Siege of Heidelberg (1622) Sack of Magdeburg Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) Battle of Lützen (1632) Battle of Nördlingen (1634) Seven Years' War Battle of Lobositz Battle of Kolín Battle of Breslau (1757) Battle of Hochkirch Battle of Meissen Battle of Landeshut (1760) Battle of Liegnitz (1760)
19th-century wars	French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars Battle of Castiglione Battle of Bassano Battle of Ostrach Battle of Stockach (1799) Battle of Marengo Battle of Caldiero (1805) Battle of Austerlitz Battle of Landshut (1809) Battle of Neumarkt-Sankt Veit Battle of Sankt Michael Battle of Raab (1809) Battle of Graz Battle of Leipzig Hungarian Revolution of 1848–49 Battle of Pákozd Vienna Uprising Battle of Schwechat Battle of Mór Battle of Kápolna Battles of Komárom First battle) Second battle Third battle Battle of Temesvár Third Italian War of Independence Battle of Custoza Battle of Vis Austro-Hungarian – Bosnia-Herzegovinian War Battle of Jajce (1878) Battle of Vitez (1878) Battle of Sarajevo (1878) Battle of Livno (1878)
20th-century wars	World War I Adriatic Campaign Battle of Galicia Battle of Soča Battle of Caporetto Bombardment of Ancona Second Battle of the Piave River Battle of Vittorio Veneto World War II Invasion of Yugoslavia Battle of Kozara Battle of Livno Battle of Stalingrad Battle of Neretva Operation Otto Battle of the Sutjeska Raid on Drvar Syrmian Front Battle of Knin Battle of Mostar Battle of Lijevče Field Battle of Sarajevo (1945) Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995) Pakrac clash Plitvice Lakes incident Borovo Selo killings Operation Stinger 1991 Yugoslav campaign in Croatia Dalj massacre Battle of Osijek Battle of Vukovar Vukovar massacre Battle of Gospić Battle of Šibenik Battle of Zadar Battle of Kusonje Battle of the Barracks Siege of Varaždin Barracks Siege of Bjelovar Barracks Battle of the Dalmatian Channels Gospić massacre Siege of Dubrovnik Operation Otkos 10 Operation Orkan 91 Operation Whirlwind Operation Baranja Operation Jackal Battle of the Miljevci Plateau Operation Tiger Operation Maslenica Daruvar Agreement Operation Medak Pocket Operation Winter '94 Operation Flash Operation Summer '95 Operation Storm War in Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992–1995) Battle of Kupres (1992) Siege of Sarajevo Siege of Bihać (1992–95) Operation Vrbas '92 Operation Koridor Battle of Žepče Siege of Mostar Operation Neretva '93 Operation Tvigi 94 Battle of Kupres (Operation Cincar) Battle of Orašje Operation Maestral 2 Operation Una Operation Southern Move
21st-century conflicts	War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) (2003–2014) Resolute Support Mission Force (RS) (2015–present) Golan Heights ceasefire after Yom Kippur War United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) (2008–2013)
Category

v t e Yugoslav Wars
Wars and conflicts	Log Revolution (1990) Slovenian War of Independence (1991) Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995) Bosnian War (1992–1995) Croat–Bosniak War (1992–1994) Kosovo War (1998–99) Insurgency in the Preševo Valley (1999–2001) 2001 insurgency in the Republic of Macedonia (2001)
Background	SFR Yugoslavia Breakup of Yugoslavia
Anti-war protests	Belgrade Sarajevo YUTEL for Peace
Successor states	Republic of Croatia Republic of Slovenia Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Republic of Macedonia Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (FRY/SRJ)
Unrecognized entities	Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia (HRHB) Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB) Republic of Kosova Serb Autonomous Regions Republic of Serbian Krajina (RSK) SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia SAO Krajina SAO Western Slavonia Republika Srpska (RS) SAO Bosanska Krajina SAO Herzegovina SAO North-Eastern Bosnia SAO Romanija Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Dubrovnik Republic
United Nations protectorate	UNTAES UNMIK
Armies	Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) Yugoslav Territorial Defence (TO) Slovenian Territorial Defence (TORS) Yugoslav Army (VJ) Croatian Army (HV) BiH Territorial Defence (TORBIH) Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) Army of the Republic of Serb Krajina (SVK) Croatian Defence Council (HVO) Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK in R. Serbia) National Liberation Army (UÇK in R. Macedonia) Liberation Army of Preševo, Medveđa and Bujanovac (UÇPMB)
Military formations and volunteers	Croatian National Guard (ZNG) Croatian Defence Forces (HOS) White Eagles Serb Guard (SG) Serb Volunteer Guard (SDG) Scorpions Yellow Wasps Garda Panteri Dušan the Mighty Kninjas Serb Falcons [sr] Tobutski sokolovi Jackals Greek Volunteer Guard Wolves of Vučjak AKSH Green Berets (GB) Patriotic League (PL) Black Swans Bosnian mujahideen People's Defence of Western Bosnia (NOZB)
External factors	NATO IFOR SFOR KFOR EU (EUMM) United Nations (UN) UNPROFOR UNCRO
Politicians	Fikret Abdić Milan Babić Mate Boban Momir Bulatović Milo Đukanović Nijaz Duraković Vuk Drašković Goran Hadžić Alija Izetbegović Janez Janša Borisav Jović Mirko Jović Radovan Karadžić Vojislav Koštunica Momčilo Krajišnik Milan Kučan Ante Marković Milan Martić Stjepan Mesić Slobodan Milošević Ante Paradžik  X Dobroslav Paraga Lojze Peterle Biljana Plavšić Jadranko Prlić Jovan Rašković  † Ibrahim Rugova Vojislav Šešelj Haris Silajdžić Franjo Tuđman Krešimir Zubak
Top military commanders	Rahim Ademi Janko Bobetko Agim Çeku Wesley Clark Rasim Delić Sefer Halilović Veljko Kadijević Ratko Mladić Mile Novaković Dragoljub Ojdanić Života Panić Nebojša Pavković Momčilo Perišić Milivoj Petković Ridvan Qazimi  † Martin Špegelj Gojko Šušak
Other notable commanders	Mehmed Alagić Tihomir Blaškić Đorđe Božović  † Valentin Ćorić Jovan Divjak Atif Dudaković Ante Gotovina Zaim Imamović Adem Jashari  † Blaž Kraljević  X Vladimir Lazarević Veljko Milanković  (DOW) Mile Mrkšić Naser Orić Arif Pašalić Slobodan Praljak Ivica Rajić Željko Ražnatović Ljubiša Savić Stjepan Šiber Veselin Šljivančanin Vukašin Šoškoćanin  † Milan Tepić  † Milorad Ulemek Dragan Vasiljković Blago Zadro  †
Key foreign figures	Robert Badinter Lord Carrington Jimmy Carter Willy Claes Pieter Feith Richard Holbrooke Lord Owen Cyrus Vance Jacques Paul Klein Peter Galbraith Javier Solana Manfred Wörner
v t e Croatian War of Independence Part of the Yugoslav Wars Prelude Log Revolution SAO Krajina 1991 Pakrac clash Plitvice Lakes incident Siege of Kijevo Battle of Borovo Selo 1991 riot in Zadar 1991 protest in Split SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia Killings of Serbs in Vukovar Sisak killings Tenja killings Operation Stinger Dalj massacre Operation Labrador SAO Western Slavonia Banija villages killings Battle of Vukovar Battle of Osijek Battle of Gospić Petrinja killings Berak killings Battle of Kusonje Četekovac massacre Battle of the Barracks Siege of Varaždin Barracks Siege of Bjelovar Barracks Battle of Zadar Battle of Šibenik 1991 Yugoslav campaign in Croatia Korana bridge killings Tovarnik massacre Siege of Dubrovnik Novo Selo Glinsko massacre Bombing of Banski dvori Široka Kula massacre Lovas killings Gospić massacre Baćin massacre Saborsko massacre Požega villages massacre Operation Otkos 10 Battle of Logorište Poljanak and Vukovići massacres Erdut killings Pula incident Battle of the Dalmatian channels Kostrići massacre Škabrnja massacre Vukovar massacre Novska murders Vance plan Murder of the Zec family Operation Whirlwind Paulin Dvor massacre Gornje Jame massacre Operation Orkan 91 Voćin massacre Joševica massacre Operation Devil's Beam Bruška massacre Vrsar airport bombing 1992 Sarajevo Agreement 1992 European Community Monitor Mission helicopter downing Operation Baranja Operation Jackal Battle of the Miljevci Plateau Operation Tiger (1992) Operation Liberated Land Battle of Konavle Operation Vlaštica 1993–94 Operation Maslenica Daruvar Agreement Operation Backstop Operation Medak Pocket Z-4 Plan Operation Winter '94 1995 Operation Leap 1 Operation Flash Medari massacre Zagreb rocket attack Operation Leap 2 Operation Summer '95 Operation Storm Kijani killings Golubić killings Uzdolje killings Bosanski Petrovac refugee column bombing Dvor massacre Komić killings Gošić killings Varivode massacre Operation Maestral 2 Timeline of the Croatian War of Independence Internment camps Begejci camp Bučje camp Kerestinec camp Knin camp Kuline prison camp Lora prison camp Marino Selo camp Ovčara camp Pakračka Poljana camp Sremska Mitrovica prison camp Stajićevo camp Velepromet camp Other Independence of Croatia Persecution of Croats in Serbia during the war in Croatia Erdut Agreement (UNTAES) Category Commons
v t e Bosnian War Part of the Yugoslav Wars Belligerents Bosniak side Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1st Corps 2nd Corps 3rd Corps 4th Corps 5th Corps 6th Corps 7th Corps Paramilitary Patriotic League Green Berets Croatian Defence Forces Bosnian mujahideen Croat side Croatian Defence Council 1OZ 2OZ 3OZ 4OZ Paramilitary Croatian Defence Forces Knights Serb side Army of Republika Srpska 1st Krajina Corps 2nd Krajina Corps 3rd Corps East Bosnia Corps Herzegovina Corps Sarajevo-Romanija Corps Drina Corps Paramilitary Wolves of Vučjak White Eagles Serb Volunteer Guard Scorpions Yellow Wasps Western Bosnian side National Defence of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia Prelude Milošević–Tuđman Karađorđevo meeting Zulfikarpašić–Karadžić agreement RAM Plan Serb Autonomous Regions Bosanska Krajina Herzegovina North-East Bosnia Romanija Establishment of the Croatian Community of Herzeg Bosnia Establishment of Republika Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum Sarajevo wedding attack Declaration of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Battle of Bosanski Brod Sijekovac killings Bijeljina massacre 1992 anti-war protests in Sarajevo 1992 Battle of Kupres Siege of Sarajevo Kazani pit killings Foča ethnic cleansing Bosanski Šamac ethnic cleansing Siege of Srebrenica Zvornik massacre Doboj Snagovo massacre Prijedor ethnic cleansing Sarajevo column incident Siege of Goražde Graz agreement Glogova massacre Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing Tuzla column incident Zaklopača massacre Siege of Doboj Bradina massacre Sarajevo bread line massacre Bijeli Potok massacre Pionirska Street fire Operation Jackal Višegrad massacres Bosanska Jagodina Paklenik Barimo Sjeverin Čemerno massacre Siege of Bihać Ahatovići massacre Croat–Bosniak War Operation Vrbas '92 Operation Corridor 92 Bikavac fire Killings in Bratunac and Srebrenica Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia Korićani Cliffs massacre Mičivode massacre Novoseoci massacre Gornja Jošanica massacre 1993 Kravica attack Duša killings Skelani massacre Štrpci Siege of Mostar Srebrenica shelling Ahmići massacre Trusina massacre Sovići and Doljani killings Zenica massacre Vranica case Dobrinja mortar attack Battle of Žepče Battle of Travnik (1993) Battle of Bugojno Operation Irma Operation Neretva '93 Grabovica massacre Mokronoge massacre Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia Inter-Bosniak conflict in Bosanska Krajina Stupni Do massacre Operation Deny Flight Križančevo Selo killings 1994 Operation Tvigi 94 First Markale massacre Banja Luka incident Washington Agreement Establishment of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Operation Bøllebank Attack on Spin magazine journalists Operation Tiger Operation "Breza '94" Battle of Kupres Operation Amanda Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 347 Operation Spider Operation Winter '94 1995 Operation Vlašić Operation Leap 1 Battle of Orašje Operation Leap 2 Split Agreement Operation Summer '95 Pale air strikes Tuzla shelling Battle of Vrbanja Bridge Srebrenica massacre Kravica Battle of Vozuća Operation Miracle Operation Storm Second Markale massacre NATO bombing campaign Operation Mistral 2 Operation Sana Operation Una Operation Southern Move Exodus of Sarajevo Serbs Dayton Agreement Establishment of Bosnia and Herzegovina Internment camps Silos Manjača Liplje Luka Vilina Vlas Omarska Keraterm Trnopolje Sušica Čelebići Musala Batković Dretelj Uzamnica Heliodrom Gabela Vojno Kamenica camp Aspects Ethnic cleansing and massacres Bosnian genocide Bosnian genocide denial Internment camps Rape Peace plans NATO intervention Foreign support Foreign fighters Timeline of the Bosnian War (Timeline of the Croat–Bosniak War) Category Commons
v t e Breakup of Yugoslavia Overview Breakup of Yugoslavia (1991–1992) Timeline of the breakup of Yugoslavia (1980–2008) Background Josip Broz Tito (until 1980) Brotherhood and unity (until 1990) League of Communists of Yugoslavia (until 1990) Croatian Spring (1967–1971) 1981 protests in Kosovo Islamic Declaration (1983) SANU Memorandum (1986) Contributions to the Slovene National Program (1987) Slovene Spring (1987–1988) Agrokomerc Affair (1987) 8th session of the Central Committee of the League of Communists of Serbia (1987) JBTZ trial (1988) Hyperinflation in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1980s) Events and actors Anti-bureaucratic revolution (1988–1989) Gazimestan speech (1989) 14th Congress of the League of Communists of Yugoslavia (1990) Independence of Croatia (1989–1992) Log Revolution (1990–1991) Milošević–Tuđman Karađorđevo meeting (1991) RAM Plan (1991) Brioni Agreement (1991) Role of the media in the breakup of Yugoslavia Arbitration Commission of the Peace Conference on Yugoslavia (1991–1993) v t e Independence referendums in Yugoslavia Republics and provinces Slovenia (1990) Croatia (1991) Macedonia (1991) Kosovo (1991) Bosnia and Herzegovina (1992) Montenegro (1992) Montenegro (2006) Autonomy SAO Krajina (1990) Sandžak (1991) Srpska (1991) Ilirida (1992) Eastern Slavonia (1997) Macedonia (2004) Consequences Yugoslav Wars (1991-2001) Ethnic cleansing Croatian War of Independence (1991–1995) Ten-Day War (1991) Bosnian War (1992–1995) Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–) Graz agreement (1992) Sanctions against the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–2001) Hyperinflation in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (1992–1994) Dayton Agreement (1996) Joint Criminal Enterprise Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control (1996) International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (1993–2017) Overthrow of Slobodan Milošević (2000) Nationalism Greater Albania Greater Croatia United Macedonia Greater Serbia United Slovenia Anti-Serbian sentiment Islamophobia Albanian nationalism Bosniak nationalism Croatian nationalism Macedonian nationalism Montenegrin nationalism Serbian nationalism Serbian–Montenegrin unionism Slovenian nationalism Yugoslavism Category
Category Commons

43°44′N 15°53′E / 43.73°N 15.89°E / 43.73; 15.89

• 1991 in Croatia
• Conflicts in 1991
• Battles of the Croatian War of Independence
• September 1991 events in Yugoslavia
• History of Šibenik
• Yugoslav People's Army
• Military operations involving chemical weapons