Siege of Mostar
The siege of Mostar was fought during the Bosnian War first in 1992 and then again later in 1993 to 1994. Initially lasting between April 1992 and June 1992, it involved the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) fighting against the Serb-dominated Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslavia. That phase ended in June 1992 after the success of Operation Jackal, launched by the Croatian Army (HV) and HVO. As a result of the first siege around 90,000 residents of Mostar fled and numerous religious buildings, cultural institutions, and bridges were damaged or destroyed.
| Siege of Mostar | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Bosnian War and the Croat–Bosniak War | ||||||||
Destroyed buildings in Mostar after the Bosnian War | ||||||||
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| Belligerents | ||||||||
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1992: Herzeg-Bosnia Croatia Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1992: Yugoslav People's Army Republika Srpska | |||||||
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1993–94: Herzeg-Bosnia Croatia |
1993–94: Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina |
1993–94: Republika Srpska | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | ||||||||
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Milivoj Petković Slobodan Praljak Miljenko Lasić |
Sefer Halilović Rasim Delić Arif Pašalić |
Momčilo Perišić Radovan Grubač | ||||||
| Strength | ||||||||
| OZ Southeast Herzegovina: 6,000 soldiers (1993) | 4th Corps: 4,000 soldiers (1993) | 17,000 soldiers (1992) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | ||||||||
|
2,000 killed (1992–94) c. 90,000 refugees (1992) | ||||||||
As the wider conflict matured and the political landscape changed, the Bosnian Croats and Bosniaks began to fight against each other, culminating in the Croat–Bosniak War. Between June 1993 and April 1994 the HVO besieged Bosniak-concentrated East Mostar, resulting in the deaths of numerous civilians, a cut off of humanitarian aid, damage or destruction of ten mosques, and the blowing up of the historic Stari Most bridge. Hostilities ended with the signing of the Washington Agreement in March 1994 and the establishment of the Croat–Bosniak federation.