Battle of Bugojno

Battle of Bugojno
Part of the Croat–Bosniak War
Date 18–29 July 1993 Location Bugojno, Bosnia and Herzegovina 44°03′N 17°27′E / 44.050°N 17.450°E / 44.050; 17.450 Result ARBiH victory Territorial changes ARBiH captured the municipality of Bugojno
Belligerents
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina	Croatian Community of Herzeg-Bosnia
Commanders and leaders
Selmo Cikotić Senad Dautović Tahir Granić	Ivica Lučić
Units involved
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 3rd Corps 307th Mountain Brigade	Croatian Defence Council Operative Zone Northwest Herzegovina Eugen Kvaternik Brigade
Strength
1,500 soldiers	1,500-2,000 soldiers
Casualties and losses
92 killed 211 wounded	107 killed 130 wounded 470 POWs
15,000 Croats displaced

The Battle of Bugojno (Bosnian and Croatian: Bitka za Bugojno) was fought between forces of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) for control of the town and municipality of Bugojno in central Bosnia, from 18–28 July 1993. The area of Bugojno was under joint control of the ARBiH 307th Brigade and the HVO Eugen Kvaternik Brigade since the start of the Bosnian War. Violent incidents in Bugojno followed the escalation of the Croat-Bosniak War in adjacent municipalities throughout the 1st half of 1993. Bugojno was spared from fighting and the two local brigades were still formally allied by June 1993, at the time of an ARBiH offensive in central Bosnia.

Fighting broke out in the town on 18 July. The HVO forces, outnumbered by three to one, were separated and surrounded in several locations. Most of them were defeated within a week of intense street combat. The last HVO units in the town surrendered on 25 July, while combat in the rest of the municipality lasted for another four days. The ARBiH won control over the entire municipality. Its casualties were 92 killed and 211 wounded, while the HVO had 107 killed, 130 wounded and 470 captured. The Eugen Kvaternik Brigade was effectively destroyed in the battle. An estimated 15,000 Croats fled. Several hundred HVO POWs and civilians were detained in various prison camps in the town, including the Iskra Stadium. The last prisoners were released in March 1994.

The Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina convicted four ARBiH officials and one HVO official for war crimes committed during and after the battle. The Court charged the ARBiH authorities in Bugojno for participating in a joint criminal enterprise against Croat detainees, a qualification that was dropped on appeal.