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

Strategic Insights -

In a desperate bid to gain the upper hand in the battle for the besieged enclave of Zepa, Bosnian Government troops have threatened to use the 79 Ukrainian peacekeeping soldiers stationed there as human shields against the advancing Bosnian Serb forces. The ultimatum, issued by Bosnian Government forces, has left the Western allies facing one of the most difficult dilemmas in the Bosnian war.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Bosnian Government troops have threatened to use the Ukrainian soldiers as human shields against the Bosnian Serb forces, raising the prospect of a tragic outcome for the peacekeepers.
  • The Bosnian Serbs have already warned that at the first sight of NATO aircraft, they would kill eight peacekeeping soldiers they took captive in their assault on the enclave and target the remaining 79 Ukrainians inside Zepa.
  • The situation in Zepa is "deteriorating rapidly" with heavy mortar fire hitting the town, United Nations officials said.
  • A total of 600 to 1,000 Bosnian Government troops, using armored personnel carriers seized from the Ukrainians on Monday, lobbied mortars and fired on the advancing Serbs.
  • In Sarajevo, Bosnian Serb snipers and artillery killed three people and wounded 16 others, including five children, Government officials said.
  • The Bosnian President, Alija Izetbegovic, offered to hold talks with the Serbs to ease the evacuation of civilians in the enclave, but the proposal has been met with no agreement among Western leaders.
  • The fall of Srebrenica last week has led to the displacement of over 11,000 men, with several thousand additional men believed to be held captive by the Bosnian Serbs.

Sources:

  • The New York Times, July [no date] , "Bosnian Government Troops Threaten to Use Ukrainian Soldiers as Human Shields"
  • Reuters, July [no date] , "Bosnian Serbs Take 90 Ukrainian Peacekeepers Hostage in Gorazde"
  • Associated Press, July [no date] , "Bosnian Serb Television Predicts Takeover of Zepa Within a Week"

Statistics:

  • 600 to 1,000: Number of Bosnian Government troops engaged in the battle for Zepa.
  • 79: Number of Ukrainian peacekeeping soldiers trapped in Zepa, threatened to be used as human shields by Bosnian Government forces.
  • 12,000: Estimated number of Bosnian Serbs surrounding the city of Gorazde, where a small munitions factory is located.
  • 320: Number of British troops in the peacekeeping force in Gorazde.
  • 90: Number of Ukrainian soldiers stationed in Gorazde, who had their weapons seized by Bosnian Government forces.
  • 30 to 40 miles: Distance traveled by survivors of the fall of Srebrenica, who fled to the Muslim-held town of Tuzla.
  • 11,000: Number of men reported missing from Srebrenica, believed to have been taken captive by the Bosnian Serbs.
  • 10,000: Estimated number of civilians in the Zepa enclave, feared to be at risk of widespread killings and rapes by the Bosnian Serbs.
  • 3,000: Number of Bosnian Government troops in Gorazde.
  • 3: Number of people killed by Bosnian Serb snipers and artillery in Sarajevo.
  • 16: Number of people wounded, including 5 children, in Sarajevo.
  • 1 week: Timeframe predicted by Bosnian Serb television for the capture of Zepa.