History of the Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Encyclopedia
This section is about the history of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
that existed from 1992 to 1996, then it was formed into two armies of the two entities from 1998 to 2005 and finally transformed into the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OSBIH).
had placed the Bosnian provincial Territorial Defence Force
under 1 Military District
(Belgrade), and reduced its strength two-thirds to 86,362 in December 1991. The Bosnian TO was gained control by the Bosnian-Serb SDS
in the coalition government. On 19 December 1990 Alija Izetbegovic
and the SDA
party alarmed by the SDS's secessionists attitudes discussed forming an independent Bosnian army later Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 1991 Sefer Halilović
formed the Patriotic League
(Patriotska Liga - PL) as an independent Bosnian army, with the same territorial organization as the TO.
On 1 November 1991 the JNA, Bosnian-Serb and Serbian paramilitary militias began attacking Bosnian-Muslim and Bosnian-Croat towns and villages the first ones being Sarajevo
by the JNA and Bijeljina by paramilitary forces. On 4 April Alija Izetbegovic
ordered general mobilization: and on 8 April he transformed the Sarajevo TO command into GHQ of the Teritorijalna Odbrana Republike Bosne i Hercegovine (Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina
) (TORBIH), appointing the Bosnian-Muslim Colonel Hasan Efendić as commander of the army, Colonel Stjepan Šiber
, a Bosnian-Croat, became chief-of-staff, and Colonel Jovan Divjak
, a Bosnian-Serb, his deputy. The TO was formally established on 15 April when all Patriotic League units joined the force. On 20 May 1992 the TORBIH, PL, and other militias and the Bosnian-Croat HVO and HOS were officially united as Armed Forces of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina (Oruzane Snage Republike Bosne i Hercegovine). On 23 May Colonel Efendić was replaced as commander by Sefer Halilović.
) - ARBIH, usually abbreviated ABIH. In November 1993, Sefer Halilović
was replaced as commander of ABIH by Rasim Delić
.
); 2nd Corps
(Tuzla
) in northern Bosnia; 3rd Corps
(Zenica
) and 4th Corps
(Mostar
) in Hercegovina; the Eastern Bosnian Operational Group in the eastern enclaves of Goražde
. 5th Corps (Bihac
) was established on 21 October 1992 from the Una-Sana Operational Group to defend the North-Western Bosnian enclave. The 7th Corps
(Travnik
) was established on 7 April 1994 with brigades from the 3rd Corps
to advance north-westward through southern Bosnia. The 6th Corps
(Konjic
) was formed in June 1993 from the 4th Corps
Northern Herzegovina Operational Group, to occupy northern Hercegovina from the HVO and eventually reach the Adriatic coast.
Each corps controlled a number of brigades, independent battalions and companies. Brigades were designed as infantry , mountain, motorized or light and given new three digit numbers, the first number indicating the corps. The larger corps (1st, 2nd and 3rd) comprised 15 Operationa Groups, each with 3–7 brigades. From August 1992 to December 1994 about 105 brigades were formed or reformed in the 1-527 series: 48 infantry or undesigned, 41 mountain, 10 motorized and 6 light, but not all brigades existed at the same time. There were also single commando and reconnaissance, Military Police
battalions and artillery brigades: the various independent units included the Delta SF Unit, four commando detachments, six Corps HQ MP battalions, a mixed artillery battalion and an independent armoured company. Eight Bosnian-Croat HVO units were incorporated into the ABIH. Crni Labudovi
was a PL unit formed in April 1992 from refugees in Konjic under the 4th Corps
(later 1st Corps), they eventually numbered 800 men and also earned a reputatiaon for battlefield bravery.
Some PL units after the absorption by the TORBIH still operated independently. PL personnel wore "Green Berets" as did many ABIH units. The ABIH assigned 15 mixed aircraft to corps HQs to supply 5th corps in Bihac and 2nd corps in the Goražde
, Srebrenica
and Žepa
area. The Bosnian Police
(Policija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine) were formed in 1992 from districts under Bosnian control and there was a Bosnian Special Police Unit (specijalna jedinica). There were no naval forces.
, each division comprising 3–6 brigades, but the 4th and 5th Corps kept their brigades and structure. It was a much improved fighting force.
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War...
that existed from 1992 to 1996, then it was formed into two armies of the two entities from 1998 to 2005 and finally transformed into the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina (OSBIH).
Territorial Defence
In 1988 The Yugoslav ArmyYugoslav Army
Aside from the Yugoslav People's Army, the terms Yugoslav Army, Army of Yugoslavia, or Military of Yugoslavia may refer to:* Yugoslav Partisans , the Yugoslav resistance army during World War II...
had placed the Bosnian provincial Territorial Defence Force
Territorial Defense Forces (Yugoslavia)
The Territorial Defense Forces were a separate part of the armed forces of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. The forces acted as a Home Guard which roughly corresponded to a military reserve force or an official governmental paramilitary...
under 1 Military District
Military district
Military districts are formations of a state's armed forces which are responsible for a certain area of territory. They are often more responsible for administrative than operational matters, and in countries with conscript forces, often handle parts of the conscription cycle.Navies have also used...
(Belgrade), and reduced its strength two-thirds to 86,362 in December 1991. The Bosnian TO was gained control by the Bosnian-Serb SDS
SDS
-Science:* Safety data sheet or material safety data sheet, a form with data regarding the properties of a particular substance* Satellite Data System, a system of United States military communications satellites....
in the coalition government. On 19 December 1990 Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegović was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served in this role until 1996, when he became a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until 2000...
and the SDA
Party of Democratic Action
The Party of Democratic Action is a Bosniak national political party in Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:The Party of Democratic Action was founded in May 1990 by Alija Izetbegović, representing the Bosnian Muslim population...
party alarmed by the SDS's secessionists attitudes discussed forming an independent Bosnian army later Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In March 1991 Sefer Halilović
Sefer Halilovic
Sefer Halilović is a former general and commanding officer of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2001, he was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and eventually acquitted...
formed the Patriotic League
Patriotic League
The Patriotic League was the first military unit of Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina formed after the Bosnian Territorial Defense Forces were gained by the SDS party.- History :...
(Patriotska Liga - PL) as an independent Bosnian army, with the same territorial organization as the TO.
On 1 November 1991 the JNA, Bosnian-Serb and Serbian paramilitary militias began attacking Bosnian-Muslim and Bosnian-Croat towns and villages the first ones being Sarajevo
Sarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
by the JNA and Bijeljina by paramilitary forces. On 4 April Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegovic
Alija Izetbegović was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served in this role until 1996, when he became a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until 2000...
ordered general mobilization: and on 8 April he transformed the Sarajevo TO command into GHQ of the Teritorijalna Odbrana Republike Bosne i Hercegovine (Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina
Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina
The Territorial Defence Force of the Republic of Bosnia and Hercegovina were the first official armed forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the beginning of the Bosnian war. Which eventually transformed into the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.- History :Teritorijalna odbrana was the...
) (TORBIH), appointing the Bosnian-Muslim Colonel Hasan Efendić as commander of the army, Colonel Stjepan Šiber
Stjepan Šiber
Stjepan Šiber was a war time general of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After finishing high school in Gradacac, he went to Ljubljana where he finished schooling at the military academy. Afterward, he became an officer in the Yugoslav People's Army. By 1992, he had become a...
, a Bosnian-Croat, became chief-of-staff, and Colonel Jovan Divjak
Jovan Divjak
Jovan Divjak was a Bosnian general in the Bosnian army during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. He was the deputy commander of the Main Staff until 1994. Although he was born to Serbian parents, he is a self-declared Bosnian.-Early life and military career:He was born in Belgrade to Serbian parents...
, a Bosnian-Serb, his deputy. The TO was formally established on 15 April when all Patriotic League units joined the force. On 20 May 1992 the TORBIH, PL, and other militias and the Bosnian-Croat HVO and HOS were officially united as Armed Forces of the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina (Oruzane Snage Republike Bosne i Hercegovine). On 23 May Colonel Efendić was replaced as commander by Sefer Halilović.
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
On 20 May 1992 the TORBIH was renamed Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine (Army of the Republic of Bosnia and HerzegovinaArmy of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established by the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992 following the outbreak of the Bosnian War...
) - ARBIH, usually abbreviated ABIH. In November 1993, Sefer Halilović
Sefer Halilovic
Sefer Halilović is a former general and commanding officer of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2001, he was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and eventually acquitted...
was replaced as commander of ABIH by Rasim Delić
Rasim Delić
Rasim Delić was the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a career officer in the Yugoslav National Army but left the army when Yugoslavia dissolved.- Yugoslavian National Army :...
.
Organization 1992–1994
The ABIH, now around 80,000 strong was reorganized on 18 August 1992 into a more conventional structure. Initially four corps were created: 1st Corps (SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
); 2nd Corps
2nd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 2nd Corps was one of five, later seven corps in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina established in early 1992.- History :...
(Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
) in northern Bosnia; 3rd Corps
3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 3rd corps of the Bosnian Army was one of five, later seven. It was established by the order of the Commander of Main Staff of the Bosnian Army Sefer Halilović on 9 November 1992...
(Zenica
Zenica
Zenica is an industrial city in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is the capital of the Zenica-Doboj Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina entity...
) and 4th Corps
4th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly responsible for then Mostar, the headquarters of the 4th Corps, and the Mostar region, but also Livno, Tomislavgrad and Trebinje, Konjić, Prozor, Jablanica.-Commanders:*1st Commander: Colonel Arif Pašalić - Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly...
(Mostar
Mostar
Mostar is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the largest and one of the most important cities in the Herzegovina region and the center of the Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation. Mostar is situated on the Neretva river and is the fifth-largest city in the country...
) in Hercegovina; the Eastern Bosnian Operational Group in the eastern enclaves of Goražde
Goražde
Goražde , is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river. It is located between Foča, Sokolac and Višegrad, and is administratively part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the center of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton.-Location:Goražde is situated on the...
. 5th Corps (Bihac
Bihac
Bihać is a city and municipality on the river Una in the north-western part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosanska Krajina region. Bihać is located in the Una-Sana Canton in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-History:...
) was established on 21 October 1992 from the Una-Sana Operational Group to defend the North-Western Bosnian enclave. The 7th Corps
7th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 7th Corps was one of seven corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its headquarters were in Zenica.- History :This Corps was formed on February 26, 1994...
(Travnik
Travnik
Travnik is a city and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90 km west of Sarajevo. It is the capital of the Central Bosnia Canton, and is located in the Travnik Municipality. Travnik today has some 27,000 residents, with a metro population that is probably close to 70,000 people...
) was established on 7 April 1994 with brigades from the 3rd Corps
3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 3rd corps of the Bosnian Army was one of five, later seven. It was established by the order of the Commander of Main Staff of the Bosnian Army Sefer Halilović on 9 November 1992...
to advance north-westward through southern Bosnia. The 6th Corps
6th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The 6th Corps, along with the 7th Corps, of the Bosnian army was formed a little later than the first 5 Corps.- 6th Corps History :The 6th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was formed on 9 June 1993. Konjić became the headquarters of the 6th Corps...
(Konjic
Konjic
Konjic is a town and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around southwest of Sarajevo. It is a mountainous, heavily wooded area, and is above sea level. The municipality extends on both sides of the Neretva River. The town of Konjic, housed about a third...
) was formed in June 1993 from the 4th Corps
4th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly responsible for then Mostar, the headquarters of the 4th Corps, and the Mostar region, but also Livno, Tomislavgrad and Trebinje, Konjić, Prozor, Jablanica.-Commanders:*1st Commander: Colonel Arif Pašalić - Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly...
Northern Herzegovina Operational Group, to occupy northern Hercegovina from the HVO and eventually reach the Adriatic coast.
Each corps controlled a number of brigades, independent battalions and companies. Brigades were designed as infantry , mountain, motorized or light and given new three digit numbers, the first number indicating the corps. The larger corps (1st, 2nd and 3rd) comprised 15 Operationa Groups, each with 3–7 brigades. From August 1992 to December 1994 about 105 brigades were formed or reformed in the 1-527 series: 48 infantry or undesigned, 41 mountain, 10 motorized and 6 light, but not all brigades existed at the same time. There were also single commando and reconnaissance, Military Police
Military police
Military police are police organisations connected with, or part of, the military of a state. The word can have different meanings in different countries, and may refer to:...
battalions and artillery brigades: the various independent units included the Delta SF Unit, four commando detachments, six Corps HQ MP battalions, a mixed artillery battalion and an independent armoured company. Eight Bosnian-Croat HVO units were incorporated into the ABIH. Crni Labudovi
Crni Labudovi
The Crni Labudovi were a special forces unit in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.- History :Black Swans were a Patriotic League unit formed in 1992 in Konjic under the 4th Korps , who eventually numbered 800 men...
was a PL unit formed in April 1992 from refugees in Konjic under the 4th Corps
4th Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly responsible for then Mostar, the headquarters of the 4th Corps, and the Mostar region, but also Livno, Tomislavgrad and Trebinje, Konjić, Prozor, Jablanica.-Commanders:*1st Commander: Colonel Arif Pašalić - Operational Zone :The 4th Corps was mainly...
(later 1st Corps), they eventually numbered 800 men and also earned a reputatiaon for battlefield bravery.
Some PL units after the absorption by the TORBIH still operated independently. PL personnel wore "Green Berets" as did many ABIH units. The ABIH assigned 15 mixed aircraft to corps HQs to supply 5th corps in Bihac and 2nd corps in the Goražde
Goražde
Goražde , is a city and municipality in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the Drina river. It is located between Foča, Sokolac and Višegrad, and is administratively part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the center of the Bosnian Podrinje Canton.-Location:Goražde is situated on the...
, Srebrenica
Srebrenica
Srebrenica is a town and municipality in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska. Srebrenica is a small mountain town, its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War, the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre,...
and Žepa
Žepa
Žepa is a town in the east of Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the municipality of Rogatica. Žepa is located northeast of Rogatica itself, southwest of Srebrenica and northwest of Višegrad...
area. The Bosnian Police
Bosnian Police
The Bosnian Police consists of two police entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Police and the Republika Srpska Police. Bosnia also has its Counter Terrorism Agency - State Investigation and Protection Agency...
(Policija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine) were formed in 1992 from districts under Bosnian control and there was a Bosnian Special Police Unit (specijalna jedinica). There were no naval forces.
Organization 1995
In January 1995 the ABIH now expanded to 150,000-200,000 reorganized. The Operational Groups in the 1st,2nd,3rd and 7th Corps were redesigned as divisionsDivision (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
, each division comprising 3–6 brigades, but the 4th and 5th Corps kept their brigades and structure. It was a much improved fighting force.
April 1992 – May 1992
TORBIH GHQ, Sarajevo- Colonel Hasan Efendić (Commander of the TO RBiH)
- Colonel Jovan DivjakJovan DivjakJovan Divjak was a Bosnian general in the Bosnian army during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. He was the deputy commander of the Main Staff until 1994. Although he was born to Serbian parents, he is a self-declared Bosnian.-Early life and military career:He was born in Belgrade to Serbian parents...
(Deputy Commander) - Colonel Stjepan ŠiberStjepan ŠiberStjepan Šiber was a war time general of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After finishing high school in Gradacac, he went to Ljubljana where he finished schooling at the military academy. Afterward, he became an officer in the Yugoslav People's Army. By 1992, he had become a...
(Chief of Staff)
May 1992 – November 1993
ARBIH GHQ, SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
- Alija IzetbegovićAlija IzetbegovicAlija Izetbegović was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served in this role until 1996, when he became a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until 2000...
(Commander-in-chief of the ARBIH) - General Sefer HalilovićSefer HalilovicSefer Halilović is a former general and commanding officer of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2001, he was indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and eventually acquitted...
(Chief of Staff of the Main Staff; Commander of ARBIH) - General Stjepan ŠiberStjepan ŠiberStjepan Šiber was a war time general of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After finishing high school in Gradacac, he went to Ljubljana where he finished schooling at the military academy. Afterward, he became an officer in the Yugoslav People's Army. By 1992, he had become a...
(Deputy Commander of Main Staff) - General Jovan DivjakJovan DivjakJovan Divjak was a Bosnian general in the Bosnian army during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. He was the deputy commander of the Main Staff until 1994. Although he was born to Serbian parents, he is a self-declared Bosnian.-Early life and military career:He was born in Belgrade to Serbian parents...
(Chief of Staff)
November 1993 – December 1995
ARBIH GHQ, SarajevoSarajevo
Sarajevo |Bosnia]], surrounded by the Dinaric Alps and situated along the Miljacka River in the heart of Southeastern Europe and the Balkans....
- Alija IzetbegovićAlija IzetbegovicAlija Izetbegović was a Bosniak activist, lawyer, author, philosopher and politician, who, in 1990, became the first president of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He served in this role until 1996, when he became a member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, serving until 2000...
(Commander-in-chief of the ARBIH) - General Rasim DelićRasim DelićRasim Delić was the Chief of Staff of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was a career officer in the Yugoslav National Army but left the army when Yugoslavia dissolved.- Yugoslavian National Army :...
(Commander of Main/General Staff; Commander of ARBIH) - General Enver HadžihasanovićEnver HadžihasanovicEnver Hadžihasanović was a general of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina as well as chief of staff.-Military History:...
(Chief of Staff of the Main/General Staff) - General Jovan DivjakJovan DivjakJovan Divjak was a Bosnian general in the Bosnian army during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War. He was the deputy commander of the Main Staff until 1994. Although he was born to Serbian parents, he is a self-declared Bosnian.-Early life and military career:He was born in Belgrade to Serbian parents...
(Deputy Commander, responsible for all matters concerning civilians)
Equipment
In 1995 the ARBIH had about 40 tanks, 30 APCs and small arms for about only 50,000 men with a 80,000 plus strong army.See also
- Bosnian WarBosnian WarThe Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
- Army of Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Republic of Bosnia and HerzegovinaRepublic of Bosnia and HerzegovinaThe Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the direct main predecessor to the modern-day state of Bosnia and Herzegovina...