The Doboj shelling was carried out by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) during its attacks on the city in 1992 and 1994 in the Bosnian War.[1][2] The ARBiH fired at the city with its artillery, resulting in the deaths of many Serbian civilians. No one has yet been held accountable for the shelling of the city and the civilian casualties.
| Doboj shelling | |
|---|---|
| Part of the Croat–Bosniak War | |
 Fortress in Doboj | |
| Location | Doboj, Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Date | 1992 — 1994 |
| Target | Serbs |
Attack type | Mass killing |
| Deaths | 99 killed, 399 wounded |
| Perpetrators | Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) |
Background
editDoboj is one of the largest cities in Bosnia and was therefore of tactical significance at the beginning of the Bosnian War as well as being a corridor to the settlement of Vozuća. The Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) took control of the city at the start of the war but the city's location made it vulnerable to attacks from both the east and the west.[citation needed]
In 1992, after the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) took control of Derventa, they headed south and received help from the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). This allowed them to attack Doboj from the direction of Tešanjko, Klokotnica and Kostajnica, but the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) managed to defend the city and launched Operation Corridor 92.[citation needed]
In 1994, the ARBiH tried to take Doboj, all of Trebeva and Vozuća, in Operation Brana 94, but failed.[citation needed]
Shelling of the city
editOn 12 July 1992, during the midday hours, a strong Muslim-Croat coalition force attacked Doboj. The city was then defended by one reinforced battalion of the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS). After regrouping, the VRS stabilized the defense lines around 17:00, and the last shock wave of the opposing forces occurred after midnight when they intended to evacuate their dead and wounded. In that attack, Bosniak and Croat forces shelled the city killing several dozen civilians and wounding several hundred in the process.[3]
In 1993, there were no significant attacks on the city. Four young people were killed on 30 April 1994, and five were seriously wounded during the shelling of the narrowest part of the city from the position of the ARBiH on April 30, 1994. The victims were Daliborka Blagojević and her fiancé Nedeljko Tanasić, Stojanka Jović, who was expelled from Maglaj, and Ljilja Vukosavović, who was expelled from Gračanica. They were killed on the spot by a 120-millimeter shell.[4][5]
In 1994, ARBiH soldiers without HVO help but with a professional and better equipped army than before, attacked the city. The first attack was from 17 to 23 October and the second lasted from 8–10 November. ARBiH soldiers invaded the city and killed and wounded civilians, but the VRS drove ARBiH out of the city in time and prevented potentially larger casualties.[6] In the attacks, several dozen civilians were killed and several more were wounded. In 1995, there was no significant attack on the city, but after the fall of Vozuća, there was a threat that the ARBiH and the Bosnian Mujahideen would reach Doboj. The VRS however, managed to slow down their offensive and the threat was averted.[7]
References
edit- ^ "U Doboju obilježena 31 godina od Petrovdanske bitke (FOTO/VIDEO)". rtrs.tv. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Srpska, Unknown From (3 September 2023). "Борбе на Требави и одбрана Добоја 1994". ОДБРАМБЕНО-ОТАЏБИНСКИ РАТ 1991-1995. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ "Odbrana Doboja: Obilježeno 30 godina od Petrovdanske bitke". www.atvbl.rs (in Serbian). Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Trgić, Izabela (2024-04-30). "DOBOJ: Ni poslije 30 godina nema presuda za ubistvo četvoro mladih Srba". RTV Doboj (in Croatian). Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ "Doboj: Ni poslije 29 godina nema presuda za ubistvo četvoro mladih Srba". rtrs.tv. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ "Dobojski Info - DOBOJ: Godišnjica bitke na Barakovcu (FOTO)". www.dobojski.info (in Serbo-Croatian). 2017-10-22. Retrieved 2024-07-31.
- ^ Lazukic, Natasa (2024-04-30). "PRAVDA NIJE ZADOVOLJENA: Ni poslije 30 godina nema presuda za ubistvo četvoro mladih Srba u Doboju". Novosti (in Serbian). Retrieved 2024-07-31.