Mala Kladuša offensive

The Mala Kladuša offensive were series of fighting between the NOZB and ARBiH to recapture villages east of Velika Kladuša. This offensive was after the successful Operation Spider, in which the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia was re-established. The goal was to eliminate the 5th Corps from the Mala Kladuša-Podzvizd region.[1]

Mala Kladušan offensive
Part of The Bosnian War and Inter-Bosnian Muslim War
Date 10 January – 21 March 1995 Location Velika Kladuša, Mala Kladuša, Podzvizd, Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Result Western Bosnia victory The position of Velika Kladuša is more secure Territorial changes National Defence of the APZB and Serbs take Mala Kladuša, Podzvizd and surrounding villages
Belligerents
Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia Army of the Republika Srpska	Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commanders and leaders
Fikret "Babo" Abdić Franko Simatović "Frenki"	Atif Dudaković Izet Nanić Jasmin Kulenović †
Units involved
National Defence of the APZB 1st Krajina Corps Red Berets Arkan Tigers	ARBiH 5th Corps
Strength
5,000 soldiers 1,500 soldiers	Unknown

Background

The VRS 3 months after the first fall of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia in Operation Tiger (1994) launched Operation Spider with the aim of re-establishing the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia and the recapture of Velika Kladuša. This task was completed on 17 December 1994, when the NOZB retook Velika Kladuša under its control.[2]

The offensive

In the area of Velika Kladuša, the battle between the 5th Corps of the ARBiH against the remnants of Abdić's army and a small group of elite Serbian soldiers "Red Berets" continued.[3] The fighting through January was heavy and progress on either side was very slow because ARBiH had well established defences in their position.

Until the end of February, the "Red Berets" carried out heavy attacks and cleared troops of the 5th Corps in the northern part around Podzvizd. During March, the fighting for Podzvizd and Mala Kladuša had restarted. The NOZB had succeeded in taking villages on the western side of Vrnograč, including Mala Kladuša, and Podzvizd, on 21 March they had finished that goal. After that, the NOZB focused on the recapture of Vrnograč under the code name Operation Vrnograč.[4][5]

References

1. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 294. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
2. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 294. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
3. "Covert Operations: Unravelling Serbian Officials' Links To Paramilitaries – Analysis". Balkan Insight. June 30, 2021.
4. Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990-1995. Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis. 2002. p. 295. ISBN 978-0-16-066472-4.
5. 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.