Siege of Mostar

Siege of Mostar
Part of the Bosnian War and the Croat–Bosniak War
Destroyed buildings in Mostar after the Bosnian War
Date April 1992 – June 1992 June 1993 – April 1994 Location Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina 43°20′N 17°48′E / 43.333°N 17.800°E / 43.333; 17.800 Result HV–HVO–ARBiH victory (1992) Military stalemate (1994)[1][2] Ethnic makeup of east and west Mostar homogenized Widespread destruction of Mostar's cultural heritage
Belligerents
1992:  Herzeg-Bosnia  Croatia Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina		1992: Yugoslav People's Army  Republika Srpska
1993–94:  Herzeg-Bosnia  Croatia	1993–94: Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina	1993–94:  Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
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)

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.

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.