BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: BOSNIAN SERBS ATTACK UN AID CONVOY

Record ID: 355349

  • Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: BOSNIAN SERBS ATTACK UN AID CONVOY
  • Date: 18th October 1994
  • Summary: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERCEGOVINA. (OCTOBER 18, 1994) (AGENCY POOL - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV INTERIOR NEWS CONFERENCE 0.04 2. CU UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES SPOKESMAN KRIS JANOWSKI SPEAKING (ENGLISH) 1.36 3. GV INTERIOR CONFERENCE 1.40 SEQUENCE 2 TRANSCRIPT: JANOWSKI :"THERE WAS A CONVOY CARRYING WHO (WORLD HEALTH O
  • Embargoed: 2nd November 1994 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SARAJEVO, BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
  • Reuters ID: LVA83LX3356CIAUBRN612M2EFCFG
  • Story Text: Bosnian Serbs attacked a United Nations (U.N.) aid convoy, killing one driver and wounding another on Tuesday (October 18), but peacekeepers decided against hitting back with a punitive air strike.

    They said Serb forces promised not to reopen fire on a British U.N. patrol ordered to recover vehicles abandoned during the shooting near Gorazde in eastern Bosnia.

    A U.N. source in Sarajevo said an air strike "was considered but quickly discarded...We'll see what happens. Air strikes may be considered again today depending on how the situation develops." One driver was also wounded in the Serb attack which prompted British United Nations peacekeeping troops to return fire from two armoured vehicles that were escorting the convoy operated by the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).

    UNHCR spokesman Kris Janowski said the convoy was on a normal journey taking medical aid from Gorazde to a village some 20 km (12 miles) from the town.

    "Apparently they decided to take everything for some reason," he said.

    "We still hope to recover the cargo. We had a vague promise from General Mladic (Commander of the Bosnian Serb Army) that he would make sure that the cargo is returned, but we will just have to see." Janowski added: "Even if they are not quite happy with the share they are getting it's certainly not the way to do it, hijack a convoy at gunpoint." Gorazde is a Moslem enclave in eastern Bosnia surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces which were forced in April to cease their offensive on the town after a threat of NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation) air strikes.


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