Mala Kladuša offensive

The Mala Kladušan 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][2]

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

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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.[3]

## The offensive

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On January 10, the fighting intensified. During fighting on Prokres Hill, commander of the 5th Corps of the ARBIH, Jasmin Kulenović, nicknamed "Havarija", was killed.[4][5] 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.[6] The fighting through January was heavt 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.[7][8]

## References

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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. ^ Fotini 2008, p. 454. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFotini2008 (help)
3. ^ Fotini 2008, p. 455. sfn error: no target: CITEREFFotini2008 (help)
4. ^ uskvijesti.ba (2024-01-08). "10. januara 2024-te je 29-ta odisnjica od pogibije Jasmina Kulenovica-Havarije; k.dira 5.IDC". uskvijesti.ba (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-09-25.
5. ^ "Godišnjica pogibije istaknutog pripadnika Petog korpusa Armije Republike Bosne i Hercegovine Jasmina Kulenovića Havarije obilježena je danas u organiz". Grad Bihać (in Bosnian). Retrieved 2024-09-25.
6. ^ "Covert Operations: Unravelling Serbian Officials' Links To Paramilitaries – Analysis". Balkan Insight. June 30, 2021.
7. ^ 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.
8. ^ 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.