Siege of Bjelovar Barracks

Siege of Bjelovar Barracks
Part of the Battle of the Barracks
Varaždin Čakovec Koprivnica Križevci Bjelovar Virovitica Captured by Croatia Controlled by the JNA Okučani Detached units Major barracks of the JNA 32nd Corps, 29 September 1991
Date 14 – 29 September 1991 Location Croatia Result Croatian victory
Belligerents
Croatian National Guard Croatian Police	Yugoslav People's Army
Commanders and leaders
Želimir Škarec	Milan Tepić † Rajko Kovačević
Strength
unknown	550
Casualties and losses
17 killed	14 killed 30 wounded 425 captured
5 civilians killed, 70 Croatian troops and civilians wounded

The siege of Bjelovar Barracks, also known by the codename Operation Bilogora (Croatian: Operacija Bilogora), was the blockade and capture of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) barracks and other facilities in and around the city of Bjelovar, a part of the JNA 32nd (Varaždin) Corps, during the Croatian War of Independence. A general blockade of the JNA facilities in Croatia was ordered on 14 September 1991, and it continued until 29 September when the JNA garrison was captured by Croatian forces. Its capture occurred one week after the bulk of the 32nd Corps surrendered. It was part of the Battle of the Barracks—an effort by Croatian armed forces to isolate JNA units based at barracks in Croatia, or capture the barracks to provide arms for Croatia's nascent army.

The fighting resulted in the capture of a substantial stock of weapons, including 78 tanks, 77 infantry fighting vehicles and 13 artillery pieces greater than 100-millimetre (3.9 in) caliber. The clash also caused considerable damage to the city of Bjelovar and its surroundings due to artillery fire and the explosion of an ammunition storage depot on the outskirts of the city. The fighting erupted despite a ceasefire that had been arranged days before, and caused JNA General Veljko Kadijević to withdraw from negotiations regarding the ceasefire's implementation. He subsequently issued an ultimatum to Croatian authorities, warning against the capture of further JNA facilities.