Bosnian Government Troops Threaten to Use Ukrainian Peacekeepers as Human Shields Against Bosnian Serbs

Bosnian government troops defending the enclave of Zepa have warned that they will use Ukrainian peacekeepers as human shields against the advancing Bosnian Serbs unless NATO warplanes fly to Zepa's aid. This ultimatum has presented the Western allies with a difficult dilemma, as the Bosnian Serbs have already stated that they would kill the captive peacekeepers and target the 79 other Ukrainians inside Zepa at the first sight of NATO aircraft. The situation in Zepa is deteriorating rapidly, with heavy mortar fire hitting the town, and it is unlikely that NATO planes will be called in to attack the advancing Serbs, raising the prospect that the Ukrainian soldiers trapped in the enclave could be dragged to the front line.

Key Takeaways:

• The Bosnian government troops have threatened to use Ukrainian peacekeepers as human shields against the advancing Bosnian Serbs unless NATO warplanes fly to Zepa's aid.
• The Bosnian Serbs have already stated that they would kill the captive peacekeepers and target the 79 other Ukrainians inside Zepa at the first sight of NATO aircraft.
• The situation in Zepa is deteriorating rapidly, with heavy mortar fire hitting the town, and it is unlikely that NATO planes will be called in to attack the advancing Serbs.
• A UN official said that the Ukrainians have a choice between being human shields or being dead.
• The Bosnian government and the UN have deteriorated in relations since the Bosnian Serbs began their advance into the eastern enclaves last week.
• The UN Security Council demanded that the Serbs cease all attacks against Zepa and expressed concern at the harassment of Ukrainian troops by Serb and Muslim forces there.
• NATO planes flew over Zepa for several hours on Sunday, but the UN has not requested their presence since.
• The US is proposing stepped-up NATO air strikes against the Bosnian Serbs and a new command structure that would bypass the need for UN approval of such attacks.
• The possibility of using US attack and transport helicopters to shuttle a European UN reaction force into Gorazde is being considered.

Statistics:

• 370 peacekeepers were taken hostage by the Serbs in retaliation for NATO air raids in late May.
• Over 79 Ukrainian peacekeepers are trapped inside the enclave of Zepa.
• A government offer to hold talks on taking out the sick, wounded, and elderly from Zepa came too late, according to Serb rebel leaders.
• Shells rained down on Zepa as the Serbs tried to batter the remote mountainous enclave into surrender.
• Refugees forcibly expelled from Zepa reported that Serbs made the Dutch troops strip to their underwear in a final gesture of humiliation.

Sources:

• New York Times
• AP
• Reuters
• United Nations officials
• Alexander Ivanko, UN spokesman
• Major Myriam Sochacki, UN spokeswoman
• Clinton administration officials
• US Secretary of State Warren Christopher
• Bosnian President Alija Izetbegovic