- Title: BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA: HVO FORCES ATTEMPT TO BREAK SERB DEFENCES NEAR DRVAR
- Date: 17th August 1995
- Summary: NEAR DRVAR, WEST BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA (AUGUST 17, 1995) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) 1. SLV/PAN HVO (CROATIAN) OFFICERS OVERLOOKING DRVAR. (2 SHOTS) 0.13 2. SLV HVO FOOT SOLDIERS MARCHING ON ROAD TO DRVAR 0.19 3. GV/PAN/SV HVO SOLDIERS AIMING WEAPONS INTO THE WOODS. (3 SHOTS) 0.28 4. SLV HVO SOLDIERS DISPERSING INTO WOODS/PAN FIRING INTO UNDERGROWTH (2 SHOTS) 0.41 5. SV CROATIAN SOLDIERS DISPLAYING ABANDONED SERB MATERIAL.0.45 6. GV/SV SERB AMMUNITION BOXES/ CROATS DISPLAYING SHELLS (3 SHOTS) 1.12 7. SLV/ZOOM HVO TROOPS LIGHT BONFIRE AND SING PATRIOTIC SONGS (2 SHOTS) 1.34 8. SLV HVO TROOPS MOVING OFF AND BOARDING TRUCKS 1.38 9. MCU HVO TROOPS DISPLAYING NUMBER PLATES SHOWING THEY WERE TAKEN FROM VEHICLES REGISTERED IN DRVAR 1.42 10. SV/SLV CROATIAN HVO TROOPS WAVING WEAPONS IN AIR AS TRUCK DRIVES AWAY (2 SHOTS) 2.09 11. LV,HAS/ZOOM OUT VIEW OF DRVAR TOWN (2 SHOTS) 2.16 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
- Embargoed: 1st September 1995 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: NEAR DRVAR, WEST BOSNIA-HERZEGOVINA
- City:
- Country: Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Reuters ID: LVA2S587OZLZPQEFWT6MH23W951X
- Story Text: Bosnian-Croatian forces (HVO) on Thursday (August 17) appeared to have broken the defences of the Serb-held town of Drvar in west Bosnia and were on the verge of sweeping through it.
Bosnian Serb authorities denied on Thursday (August 17) that the town was near to falling but Bosnian-Croat military authorities claimed that they were very near to capturing the town. Reuters Television footage supported claims made by the Bosnian Croats showing (HVO) army position overlooking the town and troop movements along the road in the area.
Earlier in the week Bosnian-Serb radio reported Croatian forces were pushing from the south and the west and Serb resistance was fading.
The capture of Drvar would deal the Serbs another serious military blow after the recent fall of the rebel Krajina region to the ascendant Croatian army.
The United Nations, kept far from the battlefield, could not confirm or deny any reports.
But U.N. observers saw two Croatian army infantry battalions, backed by artillery, tanks and missile launchers, cross into Bosnia on Tuesday at Dugo Polje, which is within 30 km (18 miles) of Drvar.
A U.N. spokesman on Thursday in Zagreb also said the U.N.
believed Drvar was surrounded by Croatian troops and Bosnian Serb sources said it was only a matter of time before it fell.
The Bosnian Serb news agency SRNA reported that Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic said his forces must defend the town at all costs.
U.N. officials in Belgrade said Croatian reinforcements also crossed farther south to fight alongside Bosnian Croat allies pushing up from Bosansko Grahovo, captured late last month.
The fall of the town would consolidate the Croat grip on western Bosnia and leave other towns like Bosanski Petrovac vulnerable to a combined Croat push from the south and Bosnian government attack from the northern Bihac pocket.
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