U.N. Officials Deny Claims of Provoking Firefight in Sarajevo DMZ

U.N. military spokesman Lt. Col. Timothy Spicer denied claims by the Muslim-led Bosnian government that French peacekeepers were responsible for initiating a firefight in the Sarajevo Demilitarized Zone. Spicer stated that French troops were carrying out "perfectly reasonable military activity" when they came under attack from Bosnian government forces. The incident occurred in two separate incidents on Monday afternoon, southwest of Sarajevo in the DMZ, where French peacekeepers were engaged by automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades.

Key Takeaways:

• U.N. officials denied claims by the Bosnian government that French peacekeepers initiated a firefight in the Sarajevo Demilitarized Zone.
• Lt. Col. Timothy Spicer stated that French troops were carrying out "perfectly reasonable military activity" when they came under attack from Bosnian government forces.
• The incident occurred in two separate incidents on Monday afternoon, southwest of Sarajevo in the DMZ, where French peacekeepers were engaged by automatic weapons fire and rocket-propelled grenades.
• French Gen. Herve Gobillard was in the DMZ at the time of the incident, holding talks with Bosnian army commanders about the logistics of the withdrawal.
• Bosnian government troops fired over the heads of members of a French demolition team, who were destroying bunkers evacuated by retreating Bosnian government forces.
• The firefight lasted approximately 45 minutes, and the French troops withdrew 300 meters to the east to a protective location.
• U.N. officials reached an agreement with the Bosnian government, under which French troops will be positioned alongside Bosnian government soldiers, and a series of mobile patrols will be started to secure the area.
• The agreement aims to facilitate and secure the withdrawal of Bosnian troops.

Statistics:

• 10 small arms rounds were fired at the French engineering vehicle
• 3 rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the French demolition team
• 14 tons of diesel fuel were authorized for delivery to Sarajevo
• 14 tons of diesel fuel were authorized for delivery to Gorazde
• 24 tons of diesel fuel were authorized for delivery to Srebrenica
• 11 tons of gasoline were authorized for delivery to Zepa

Sources:

• CHRIS SIMON
• Sarajevo, Oct. 25
• U.N. officials denied claims by the Muslim-led Bosnian government that French peacekeepers were responsible for initiating a firefight in the Sarajevo Demilitarized Zone
• Lt. Col. Timothy Spicer, U.N. military spokesman
• Thant Mying-u, U.N. civil affairs spokesman
• Nesho Djuric, editor, Belgrade