Inter-Bosnian Muslim War

Part of the Bosnian War

Map of the Bihać enclave (under the control of the Bosnian-Herzegovinian government), surrounded by the Republic of Serbian Krajina (in the northwest), the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (to the north) and the Republika Srpska (to the southeast)
| Date| 27 September 1993 - 4/5 August 1995

|

Location|

Cazinska Krajina

Result|

Bosnian victory

* APZB got abolished

Territorial
changes|  The central Bosnian government regains control over all the former territory of APZB
Belligerents
Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia
Supported by:
Republika Srpska
Republic of Serbian Krajina|  Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Croatia (from 1995)
Croatian Defence Council (from 1995)
Commanders and leaders
Fikret Abdić
Zlatko Jušić
Hasib Hodžić
Radovan Karadžić
Ratko Mladić
Milan Martić|  Alija Izetbegović
Atif Dudaković
Units involved
National Defence of the APZB
Army of Republika Srpska
Serbian Army of Krajina|

* ARBiH
* 5th Corps

Strength
NOZB:
4,000–5,000
VRS:
10,000
RSK:
3,000–5,000[1]|  ARBiH:
10,000[2]–20,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown|  1,700 soldiers killed

Inter-Bosnian Muslim War refers to a civil war fought between the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina loyal to Alija Izetbegović in Sarajevo and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia loyal to Fikret Abdić in Velika Kladuša from 1993 to 1995. The war ended in victory of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the abolishment of Western Bosnia.

## Background[edit]

The Cazinska Krajina region located in the wider region of Bosanska Krajina enjoyed somewhat higher GDP per capita compared to the average of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[3] The region was populated mostly by Bosnian Muslims and includes the municipalities of Bihać, Cazin and Velika Kladuša. On its north and west, it borders Croatia and is cut off from the rest of the Bosnian Muslim population in the south and east by the densely populated Serb areas.[4] Fikret Abdić established a local agricultural company Agrokomerc based in Velika Kladuša and during the 1970s and 1980s managed to transform Cazinska Krajina into a successful regional economy, previously a poor peasant area. Agrokomerc became the largest food-processing conglomerate in Yugoslavia, employing 13,000 people and owning many factories and outlets. The whole town of Velika Kladuša and the surrounding area lived because of Agrokomerc's success. Abdić managed to create a personality cult, being nicknamed "Babo" (English: Daddy).[5]

After a fight for political monopoly, the League of Communists of Yugoslavia lost the election to nationalist parties. In the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Serbs supported the Serb Democratic Party (SDS), while the Croats supported the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ). Bosnian Muslims gathered around the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) led by Alija Izetbegović, a former convict and a member of the Young Muslims, who was a major defendant during the 1983 Sarajevo process. Abdić, a former member of the League of Communists, joined the SDA as one of its leaders.[6] In the 1990 election for the Presidency of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Abdić won 200,000 votes more than Izetbegović.[7] He and Izetbegović were both elected as representatives of the Muslims in the Presidency, while Ejup Ganić, also a member of the SDA, was elected to the Presidency as a representative for the minorities.[8] Abdić thus emerged as a main threat to Izetbegović's dominance over the SDA and a potential President of the Presidency. The Abdić's line overtaking the SDA also became a possibility. However, Abdić retreated after being isolated by the leaders of the SDA and agreed to be just a Presidency member after opposition from the SDA's hardliners.[7]

The Bosnian War came to Cazinska Krajina in May 1992, with the unsuccessful effort from the Bosnian Serb army to occupy Bihać. Although Cazinska Krajina was constantly surrounded by the Bosnian Serb forces, the fighting deescalated in the early month of 1993, especially after Bihać was proclaimed a safe area in April 1993.[4]

## History[edit]

Fikret Abdić, the Muslim Member of the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the local leader who created an economic empire around Agrokomerc, declared the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia on 27 September 1993 in Velika Kladuša. The AP Western Bosnia operated as a mini-state, with a prime minister and a parliament.[4] The Bosnian Muslims from Bihać opposed the autonomy and remained loyal to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time when the Bosnian Muslims were in an open war with the Bosnian Serbs and Bosnian Croats, Fikret Abdić signed a pact of cooperation with the Bosnian Serb Republika Srpska in October 1993 and an agreement on the development of political cooperation with Republika Srpska and the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia in November 1993. Abdić enjoyed strong local support.[9] The 521st and 527th brigades of the 5th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina from Velika Kladuša defected and joined Abdić.[10]

The Bosnian Muslims who remained loyal to Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina were led by Atif Dudaković, the commander of the 5th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Cazinska Krajina was split between Abdić and Dudaković, with Velika Kladuša and Cazin siding with Abdić and Bihać with Dudaković. By January 1994, most of the territory of Cazinska Krajina was under the control of the 5th Corps. The same month Dudaković signed a ceasefire with Abdić. However, the ceasefire was broken on 18 February 1994 when Abdić started an offensive against the 5th Corps. The fighting lasted till the summer of 1994, and by the end of the conflict, 30,000 of Abdić's forces were fleeing towards neighbouring Croatia. Although the 5th Corps attained several victories, in December 1994, Velika Kladuša was once again under Abdić's control. The 5th Corps managed to break through Serb lines around Bihać, and strengthen with the Bosnian Muslim-Croat Washington Agreement of 1994. In 1995 in Operation Storm, 5th Corps managed to achieve decisive victories against Abdić's army.[9]

## Footnotes[edit]

1. ^ Michael R. Gordon (30 November 1994). "Conflict in the Balkans: Croats Warn of Wider War if Bihać Falls". The New York Times. Retrieved 16 February 2013.
2. ^ Tom Hundley (30 July 1995). "Croatia, Serbia Face Off at Bihac". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
3. ^ Fotini 2008, p. 463.
4. ^ a b c Fotini 2008, p. 467.
5. ^ Fotini 2008, pp. 469–470.
6. ^ Lučić 2005, pp. 159–161.
7. ^ a b Martins Branco 2009, p. 28.
8. ^ Lučić 2005, p. 161.
9. ^ a b Fotini 2008, p. 468.
10. ^ Fotini 2008, p. 469.

## Bibliography[edit]

* Fotini, Christia (2008). "Following the Money: Muslim versus Muslim in Bosnia's Civil War". Comparative Politics. 40 (4): 461–480. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
* Lučić, Ivica (2005). "Evolution and Condition of the Elites in Bosnia-Herzegovina – A Personal View". National Security and the Future. 3–4 (6): 151–174. Retrieved 6 December 2023.
* Martins Branco, Carlos Manuel (2009). "The Muslim National Question in Bosnia. An Historical Overview and an Analytical Reappraisal". Revista Militar (2488): 567–0. Retrieved 6 December 2023.

* 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

|

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
* 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-Bosnian Muslim War
* Stupni Do massacre
* Operation Deny Flight
* Križančevo Selo killings

1994|

* Operation Tvigi 94
* First Markale massacre
* Banja Luka incident
* Washington Agreement
* 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
* Bosnia and Herzegovina

Internment camps|

* Silos
* Manjača
* Liplje
* Luka
* Vilina Vlas
* Omarska
* Keraterm
* Trnopolje
* Sušica
* Čelebići
* Musala
* Batković
* Dretelj
* Uzamnica
* Heliodrom
* Gabela
* Vojno

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]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template