BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: UNITED NATIONS DESCRIBE SITUATION IN BIHAC AS "GRAVE", AND CALL FOR CEASEFIRE

Record ID: 337865

  • Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: UNITED NATIONS DESCRIBE SITUATION IN BIHAC AS "GRAVE", AND CALL FOR CEASEFIRE
  • Date: 29th November 1994
  • Summary: VARIOUS LOCATIONS NEAR BIHAC, BOSNIA (NOVEMBER 29, 1994) (REUTERS TELEVISION - AVAILABLE ALL) ZEGAR, SOUTH WEST OF BIHAC 1. SV ARMOURED VEHICLE ALONG ROAD; SOUND OF FIRING 0.07 2. CU ARMOURED VEHICLE FIRING 0.10 3. SV BOSNIAN SERB TROOPS WALKING TOWARDS FRONTLINE; SOUND OF FIRING 0.18 4. SCU TANK FIRES AND MOVES ALONG ROAD 0.27 5. SV MORE WEAPONS BEING FIRED (3 SHOTS) 0.41 RIBICKA GLAVA AND PRITOCKA GLAVA, 3KM SOUTH-EAST OF BIHAC 6. GV OF TOWN IN DISTANCE (2 SHOTS) 0.52 7. SV BOSNIAN SERB SOLDIER IN TREE 0.57 8. SV BOSNIAN SERB FORCES FIRING MORTAR 1.01 9. SV ARMOURED VEHICLE BEING REVERSED AND FIRING (4 SHOTS) 1.22 VELIKA KLADUSA, BIHAC 10. GV OF COUNTRYSIDE; MINARET FROM MOSQUE (2 SHOTS) 1.34 11. SV REBEL MOSLEMS OBSERVING OVER WALL AND FIRING WEAPONS (8 SHOTS) 2.08 12. GV NIGHT VIEWS OF FIRING AND FIRES BURNING IN DISTANCE (5 SHOTS) 2.45 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
  • Embargoed: 14th December 1994 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: VARIOUS LOCATIONS AROUND BIHAC, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
  • Reuters ID: LVAAPCLJT14OKA6CCEBM1RS5ZXV4
  • Story Text: The United Nations (U.N.) so-called "safe area" of Bihac in Bosnia is surrounded by Serb forces, crammed with thousands of refugees, short of food and water and without gas and electricity, U.N. officials said on Tuesday (November 29).

    A U.N. spokesman inside the besieged town said the defensive lines of Moslem-led government troops around the town had stabilised on Monday, but reported heavy fighting in Zegar, a suburb south of the town centre.

    The Bosnian Serb army (BSA) said they had captured part of Zegar, which is some 1,800 metres away from Bihac.

    The BSA accused Moslem forces of hiding tanks and heavy weapons in a hospital at the entrance of Zegar. A statement from the BSA said that in spite of this, Serb forces were not targetting the hospital.

    The United Nations called the situation "grave". U.N. officials appealed for a ceasefire in Bihac and diplomats from the major powers had launched yet another attempt to win approval for their peace plan.

    The Moslem-led Bosnian government, faced with imminent defeat in Bihac, have accepted that idea but the Bosnian Serbs have postponed their response, Bosnian Serb sources said.

    A Reuters Television crew on Tuesday (November 29) went to the Bosnian Serb frontline near Pritocka and Ribicka glava, a strategic point for the warring sides.

    The Bosnian Serbs forces have rolled ahead in the Bihac region unchallenged by U.N. officials who had virtually ruled out further NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) air strikes to protect the town.

    The United Nations has proposed a simple three-point ceasefire which would have combatants withdraw from the U.N.-designated safe area' of Bihac town and leave its administration to the U.N.

    forces.

    The Bihac enclave town of Velika Kladusa is encircled by rebel Moslem forces backed by Bosnian Serbs and could fall soon, U.N.

    sources said on Tuesday.

    Velika Kladusa lies approximately 45 km (30 miles) north of Bihac town.

    Rebel Serbs from Croatia were firing artillery from their territory in support of the anti-government Moslem force attacking Velika Kladusa, the U.N. spokesman said.

    Velika Kladusa was the headquarters of rebel Moslem leader Fikret Abdic, who was forced to flee three months ago by the Bosnian government 5th Corps after he signed separate deals with neighbouring Serbs and Croats.

    The fall of the town would open the way for Abdic's forces to press south and engage the government 5th Corps defending Bihac from the rear.


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