SAO Western Slavonia
Encyclopedia
SAO Western Slavonia or Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Western Slavonia was a Serbian self-proclaimed autonomous region (oblast) within Croatia
. It was formed on 12 August 1991 and was subsequently included into Republic of Serbian Krajina
. It was eliminated and reintegrated into Croatia in May 1995, during Operation Flash
.
and Serb paramilitary forces (from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina), took Okučani
and Daruvar
, threatening to sever Slavonia
from Croatia proper. As a part of strategy of intimitidating the remaining Croats, they committed massacres in Voćin
, Četekovac and Kusonje.
At this time, the area under Serbian control was relatively large, although the majority of the region was hilly and forested with poor infrastructure. During the next months, there was fierce fighting for Pakrac
as paramilitaries ethnically cleansed Croats from newly captured Western Slavonic districts. Most of the region was patrolled by poorly equipped Serbian militias drawn from the local Serb villages, and with JNA resources widely distributed at a precarious time, they were not in position to effectively disect Croatia. On October 31, 1991, Croatian forces launched Operation Otkos 10
securing the Bilogora
hills. Following this success, the Croat Operation Orkan 91
, on December 12, pushed back the Serb/Yugoslav forces into a small pocket only a fraction of the initial territory controlled. In the operation, Daruvar
was taken.
During their retreat, Serbian paramilitaries were found to have committed the Voćin massacre
in which between 32 and 45 Croatian civilians were killed. On January 2, 1992, the UN brokered a ceasefire in Sarajevo, it is possible that this stopped the Croatian forces from eliminating the rebel Serb presence in Western Slavonia.
SAO Western Slavonia was eliminated and the area reintegrated into Croatia in two days in May 1995, during Operation Flash. In retaliation for this thorough defeat, Milan Martić
launched rockets at Zagreb
.
, Pakrac
, Daruvar
and Grubišno Polje
. The army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina had controlled the municipalities of Okučani and Pakrac.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
. It was formed on 12 August 1991 and was subsequently included into Republic of Serbian Krajina
Republic of Serbian Krajina
The Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
. It was eliminated and reintegrated into Croatia in May 1995, during Operation Flash
Operation Flash
The Serbs in western Slavonia took part in the organized rebellion against the government of the Republic of Croatia that had just proclaimed independence in June 1991, by proclaiming the Serbian Autonomous Oblast of Western Slavonia in August 1991...
.
History
Shortly after the proclamation of the SAO Western Slavonia, rebel Serb forces, assisted by the Serb-led 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...
and Serb paramilitary forces (from Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina), took Okučani
Okucani
Okučani is a village in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located at the contact point between the Posavina plain and the southern slopes of Psunj; 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška; elevation 119 m. Chief occupations are farming, livestock breeding, fishing and...
and Daruvar
Daruvar
Daruvar is a town in central Croatia, population 9,815 , total municipality population 13,243 ....
, threatening to sever Slavonia
Slavonia
Slavonia is a geographical and historical region in eastern Croatia...
from Croatia proper. As a part of strategy of intimitidating the remaining Croats, they committed massacres in Voćin
Vocin massacre
Voćin massacre was a massacre committed against Croatian civilians in the village of Voćin by Serb paramilitary units in December 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence....
, Četekovac and Kusonje.
At this time, the area under Serbian control was relatively large, although the majority of the region was hilly and forested with poor infrastructure. During the next months, there was fierce fighting for Pakrac
Pakrac
Pakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,852, total municipality population 8,482 . Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina.-Name:...
as paramilitaries ethnically cleansed Croats from newly captured Western Slavonic districts. Most of the region was patrolled by poorly equipped Serbian militias drawn from the local Serb villages, and with JNA resources widely distributed at a precarious time, they were not in position to effectively disect Croatia. On October 31, 1991, Croatian forces launched Operation Otkos 10
Operation Otkos 10
Operation Otkos 10 was a military offensive undertaken by the Croatian army against the Yugoslav People's Army in SAO Western Slavonia...
securing the Bilogora
Bilogora
Bilogora is a low mountainous range in central Croatia. It consists of a series of hills and small plains some 80 kilometres in length stretching in the direction northwest-southeast, along the southwest part of the Podravina region...
hills. Following this success, the Croat Operation Orkan 91
Operation Orkan 91
Operation Orkan 91 was a military operation during the Croatian War of Independence. After successful completion of Operation Otkos 10, the first offensive operation of such scale by Croatian army in the homeland war, Croatian troops were in position to retake further territory and neutralize a...
, on December 12, pushed back the Serb/Yugoslav forces into a small pocket only a fraction of the initial territory controlled. In the operation, Daruvar
Daruvar
Daruvar is a town in central Croatia, population 9,815 , total municipality population 13,243 ....
was taken.
During their retreat, Serbian paramilitaries were found to have committed the Voćin massacre
Vocin massacre
Voćin massacre was a massacre committed against Croatian civilians in the village of Voćin by Serb paramilitary units in December 1991, during the Croatian War of Independence....
in which between 32 and 45 Croatian civilians were killed. On January 2, 1992, the UN brokered a ceasefire in Sarajevo, it is possible that this stopped the Croatian forces from eliminating the rebel Serb presence in Western Slavonia.
Daruvar Agreement
On February 18, 1993, Croatian and local Serb leaders signed the Daruvar Agreement. The Agreement was kept secret and was working towards normalising life for the locals on the battlefield line. However, the rebel Serb authorities from Knin learned of the deal and arrested the rebel Serb leaders responsible for it. Some political circles believed that some of those Serb leaders there were also willing to accept peaceful reintegration into Croatia.SAO Western Slavonia was eliminated and the area reintegrated into Croatia in two days in May 1995, during Operation Flash. In retaliation for this thorough defeat, Milan Martić
Milan Martic
Milan Martić is a Serbian politician, former president of the Republic of Serbian Krajina...
launched rockets at Zagreb
Zagreb rocket attack
The Zagreb rocket attacks were a series of two artillery attacks conducted by Serb armed forces that fired ground-to-ground missiles on the Croatian capital of Zagreb during the Croatian War of Independence...
.
Administrative divisions
The territory of Western Slavonia under protection by the United Nations included four municipalities: OkučaniOkucani
Okučani is a village in western Slavonia, Croatia. It is located at the contact point between the Posavina plain and the southern slopes of Psunj; 19 km southeast of Novska and 17 km west of Nova Gradiška; elevation 119 m. Chief occupations are farming, livestock breeding, fishing and...
, Pakrac
Pakrac
Pakrac is a town in western Slavonia, Croatia, population 4,852, total municipality population 8,482 . Pakrac is located on the road and railroad connecting the regions of Posavina and Podravina.-Name:...
, Daruvar
Daruvar
Daruvar is a town in central Croatia, population 9,815 , total municipality population 13,243 ....
and Grubišno Polje
Grubišno Polje
-Demographics:In the 2001 census, the municipality had 7,523 inhabitants, with the following ethnic makeup:* 4,692 Croats* 1,356 Czechs* 872 Serbs* 228 Hungarians...
. The army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina had controlled the municipalities of Okučani and Pakrac.
See also
- SAO KrajinaSAO KrajinaSerbian Autonomous Oblast of Krajina or SAO Krajina was a self proclaimed Serbian autonomous region within modern-day Croatia . It existed between 1990 and 1991 and was subsequently included into Republic of Serbian Krajina...
- SAO Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
- Republic of Serbian KrajinaRepublic of Serbian KrajinaThe Republic of Serbian Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serb entity within Croatia. Established in 1991, it was not recognized internationally. It formally existed from 1991 to 1995, having been initiated a year earlier via smaller separatist regions. The name Krajina means "frontier"...
- Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
- Index of Serbs of Croatia-related articles
- SAO Bosanska KrajinaSAO Bosanska KrajinaSerbian Autonomous Oblast of Bosanska Krajina was a self-proclaimed Serbian autonomous region within today's Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was sometimes called the Autonomous Region of Krajina . SAO Bosanska Krajina was located in the geographical region named Bosanska Krajina. Its capital was...
External links
- Map of the Republic of Serbian Krajina - map show territory of Western Slavonia controlled by Serb forces (green) and territory of Western Slavonia under UN protection (orange).
