Supplement to the Application and to the Second Request for the Indication of Provisional Measures submitted by the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Document Number
13589
Document Type
Incidental Proceedings
Date of the Document
Document File
Document

- -

TO: The Judges of the International Court of Justice
The Peace P~lace,
The Hague, ·
The Netherlands.

Amsterdam, 24 August 1993

YOUR EXCELLENCIES:

I hereby amend our Application of 20 March 1993 and our
second Request for provisional measures of 27 July 1993 --and
in particular Section C thereof-- by filing with the Court in
support and substantiation thereof the attached article by Dr.
Milan Vego, "Federal Army Deployments in Bosnia and
Herzegovina," that was published in Jane's Intelligence Review
(Europe) October 1992 at pages 445 - 448. This article in a
well-respected, expert, and internationally recognized

authorative source provides conclusive evidence of the fact
that the rump Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) actually
exercises operational command-and-control over the J.N.A or
Y.P.A. forces and units as well as the various Serb militia,
and paramilitary units that have beeri and still are as of
today operating illegally in the Republic of Bosnia and
Herzegovina and in violation of the Genocide Convention as
well as this Court's Order of 8 April 1993. We hereby submit
this expert article in support of our second Request for
provisional measures of 27 July 1993.

Please accept, Excellencies, the assurance of my highest
consideration.

Professer Francis A. Boyle
General Agent for the Republic of
Bosnia and Herzegovina before the
International Court of Justice
VIA FAX ...

EUROPE- October 1992JANE'S"INTELLIGENCE BE.VIEW-- -J-J5

Federal AriTiyDeployments

in Bosnia and Herzegovina

War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was responsibility of thest Military District of the strength of the federal army (a total
probably inevitable given the realities of (MO) in Belgrade. Besides Bosnia and of about 140 000 men) was deployed in
the situation. However, the extent and Herzegovina. this military district the republic on the eve of the current
intensity of destruction, especially of encompassed a part of Serbia proper hostilities.
civilian targets and populations. was and the province of Vojvodina. Belgrade's figure of the percentage of

unexpected. The main but not sole culprit On the territory of Bosnia and local Serbs serving in the federal army in
of the destruction and the atrocities has Herzegovina were deployed forces of the republic was immediately challenged
been the Army of the Federal Republic of three army corps totallingsorne 45 000 by the government in Sarajevo which
Yugoslavia (FRY), formerly known as the men: 17th Corps with ils headquarters in claimed thal not more than 20 per cent of

Yugoslav People's Army (YPA). Tuzla, 5th Corps in Banja Luka, and 4th the federal army personnel were local
The war in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Corps in Sarajevo. The boundary residents. This means thal out of 95000
not a 'civil war' or 'ethnie conflict' as between the Tuzla, Banja Luka and men, only 19 000 troops were local
many Western observers falsely assert. lt Sarajevo Corps was along the line Grmet Serbs. The tact was thal by then most
was carefully planned by the top political Mountain - Vla~ i éuntain - Zvornik non-Serbs had departed or deserted the

and military leadership in Belgrade. The (see map). North of thal line was the former federal army. So by March 1992,
former federal army trbops deployed in deployment area of the Tuzla and the about 97 per cent of personnel were
Bosnia and Herzegovina were Banja Luka Corps, while south of it was Serbs and Montenegrins. Also, the
reorganized and reinforced with ether deployed the Sarajevo Corps. The troops percentage of the conscripts was much

units withdrawn from Slovenia and of the Tuzla Corps were also deployed in lower than at the beginning of the war in
Croatia. The reorganization of theYPA the Croatian province of Slavonija. The Croatia because a large number of
carried out in Oecember 1991 led to the units of the Banja Luka Corps were Serbian and Montenegrin reservists were
establishment of a new military district responsible for the defence of western called to active service.
with ils headquarters in Sarajevo. Bosnia and part of Central Dalmatia. This By 20 May about 14 000 military

Additional federal troops were moved to boundary between the various corps personnel were withdrawn from Bosnia
Bosnia and Herzegovina from Serbia in deployed in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Herzegovina. Specifically, transport
the first few months of 1992. By then, the was one more strand of evidence to point airerait and helicopter units of the federal
process of 'Serbianization' of the former to the fact thal the former federal army air force transported about 13540
paid seant attentionto the internai soldiers, 304 wounded, 43 600 civilians,
federal army, which started in the
aftermath of war in Slovenia, was almost borders in the deployment of its units. and 2566 tons of cargo. Most of the
complete. The main aim of the personnel were apparently stationed in
redeployments and reorganization of the central Bosnia and eastern Herzegovina.
federal troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina Partial Withdrawal Thus, a total of about 80 000 former .

was to ensure military control of thal federal troops were formally transferred
republic_ The former federal army was ln the months prior to the formai to the 'Territorial Defence Forces of the
apparently determined not to be forced. declaration.of independance. the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and
to leave the territory of yet another government in Sarajevo was involved in Hèrzegovina'.
republic of the former Yugoslavia. The prolongea and ultimately fruitless talks

army, while professing to act to prevent with Belgrade about the status of the Command and Control
inter-ethnie clashes in Bosnia and federal troops on the republic's territory.
Herzegoyina, was covertfy providing Finally, the republic's state presidency
large quantities of arms to the local and government ordered, in separate There is a great deal of genuine

Serbian para-military forces. Jhus, the statements on 27 April 1992, thal ali confusion in the West as who actually
stage was set for the Serbian attempt to (emphasis added) federal army troops contrais the Serbian forces in Bosnia and
seize sorne 70 per cent of Bosnian leave Bosnian territory.or its part, the Herzegovina. To make the situation even
territory, even though the localerbs federal presidency in Belgrade more complicated, the regime in
made up only about 31 per cent of the announced on 4 May the withdrawal of ali Belgrade consistently tries to do its best

population. The illegally established militarypersonnel and their dependants to muqdle the issue by denying ils own
·Serbian Republic of Bosnia and who were non-residents of Bosnia and responsibility for warn the neighbouring
Herzegovina' would never have been Herzegovina. Their withdrawal was to be republic. For example, the President of
created without the whole-hearted completed within 15 days. The rest of the the self-proclaimed FRY, Mr Oobrica
federal troops were transferred to the
support and participation of the former ilisié (who is also Supreme Commander
federal army. illegally established 'Territorial Defence of the Federal Army) falsely asserted on
Forces of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia 15 July thal the army does not provide
and Herzegovina'. any weapons and military equipment to
Federal Army's Presence The government in Belgrade asserted the former 'Territorial Defence Forces of

that there was a total0 000 federal the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and
Before the outbreak of hostilities in troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina, of Herzegovina', except for 'seme limited
Slavenia in June 1991, the major part of whom 80 per cent were residents of the humanitarian aid'. Moreover, it does not
·he former YPA was deployed in the republic. However, the federal army has command and control these forces. But
·nilitary districts encompassing the areas deployed closer to 95 000 men on the the reality is quite different. The

31ongYugoslavia's borders. Oefence of territory of the republic. The latter figureoperational chain of command in the
3osnia and Herzegovina was the also agrees with a report that 68 per cent federal army runs from the Supreme JANES INTELLIGENCE REVIEW October 1992- EUROPE

oerence Councit (composed of the the non-Serbian civilian targets in the are kept supplied by the Army of the
president of the FRY and presidents of besieged Sarajevo. His headquarters FRY. Thus. lhere is little doubt that the
the republics of Serbia and Montenegro) was re~.en mtolved from Pale (near regime in Belgrade pulls ali the strings in
through the General Staff in Belgrade to Sarajevo) lo more secure Han Pijesak the employment of the federal troops in
the commanders of: 1st MO (Belgrade). (sorne 55 km northeast of Sarajevo). This the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

4th MD (Podgorica), the 'Army of the headquarters is located in an
Serbian Republic of Bosnia and underground bunker providing multi­
Herzegovina', Naval Districi (Kumbor. channel and secure communications to Ground Troops
Bay of Cattaro). Air Force and Air ail subordinate corps commanders. the
Defence units. General Staff in Belgrade as weil as the Currently, out of total of some 80 000
president of the FRY.
The commander of the 'Army of the former federal troops deployed in Bosnia
Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Formally subordinate to General Mladié . and Herzegovina, only about 35 000 are
Herzegovina' is Lieutenant General Ratko are commanders of four army corps, one considered an effective military force.
Mladié,the former commander of the 9th provisional 'operational group,' as weils The Serbian ground forces in western
Corps in Knin. General Mladié is air force and air defence units. General Bosnia are organized into two corps:

professionally a mediocre officer, and Mladiéclearly does not control ali and 1Krajina Corps in Banja Luka (formerly
extremely brutal in dealing with the every action of his subordinate corps 5th Corps) and Il Krajina Corps in Orvar
Croatian and Moslem populations. ln the commanders in the field; apparently, they (formerly BihaéCorps). ln addition, the
war in Croatia he became notorious for have considerable latitude in carrying out troops of the former 9th Corps, alter their
his barbarie treatment of the Croatian their assigned tasks.•Co-operation redeployment on the Bosnian side of the

civitians and his threats to destroy the between the federal army troops and border with Croatia this Spring, were
Croatian coast al city of Sibenik. He has local Serbian militia units is reportedlyt provisionally organized into the Knin
shawn the same brutality by giving very effective. Bath the troops of the Operational Group. ·
explicit orders ta bombard and burn ali former federal army and the local militias The Serbian forces deployed in eastern

xxx "'\ .
:J.
Mostar • jtal<-l ..~ .
~ . '. ~
'-· NEVESINJE r· \.·
l ,:

\ xxx
la·
;
r.
)
Bileca ( • Niksic
\,
.. .....
Trebinje")
• Podgorica
~ JP ·~ .

EUROPE- October 1992 JANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW ~-l7

6. belong lo lhe Ill Nonh Bosn;ao in mid-July 1992 thal the Serbian forces even truefor the Serbian and
Corps composed of the forces of the had 300 tanks. 231 guns. 25 combat Montenegrin reservists. despite the tact
former Tuzla Operational Group and airerait and trainers. 20 helicopters. and thal they are well-paid; their salary is
parts of the Sabac (Valjevo) Corps. The four surface-ta-air missi(SAM) divisions reportedly three times what an average

troops deployed in central and (squadrons in the West). Tne acting Chiel worker earns. The units withdrawn from
southeastern part of Bosnia are of the General Staff. General Zivota Slovenia and Croatia were poorly
subordinate to IV East Bosnian Corps Panic. in a confidentiaf speech defending structured and largely unsuitable for
(also called Sarajevo-Romanija Corps). the federal army against the charges of combat employment in their new
They are composed of units of the former betraying the Bosnian Serbs said that the deployment areas. A similar situation

4th Corps (Sarajevo) and sorne units Serbian forces in the republic have prevails even in the units sent as
from Slovenia and Croatia which were acquired control of900 tanks and reinforcements to the former 2nd MD
previously deployed to the territory of the armoured vehicles. 852 guns and from other parts of the country. The only
now apparenlly defunct 2nd MD. multiple rocket launchers. one rocket troops in Bosnia and Herzegovina which
On the territory of eastern Herzegovina brigade. and 48 airerait (apparenlly not have any combat effectiveness are heavy

were deployed forces of the former Utice including helicopters). and rocket artillery, and the military
Corps. Afler the Croatian and Moslem The Croatian sources estimate thal the police.
forces liberated Mostar. the headquarters Serbs possess about 350 tanks (T54/55.
of this corps was relocated to Nevesinje. T84), more than 200 armoured personnel
ln tact. there are some reports which carriers.1000 field guns (76, 100, 105, Air Force

indicate thal major part of the Utice 122, 130, 152. and 155 mm). 800
Corps has been withdrawn to its former recoillessguns (82 and 105 mm). and The 'Army of the Serbian Republic of
deployment area in Serbia. The major 1200 mortars (82 and 120 mm). Many of Bosnia and Herzegovina' has recently
part of the newly established these tanks and armoured vehicles have created ils own air force and air defence

Herzegovinian Corps (HO at in BileÇa) is been tost or heavify damaged in the element. Officially, the Serbian forces
composed of elements of the Podgorica fighting with the Croatian forces.her have about 48 combat aircraft and sorne
Corps and the former 13th Corps. These tanks in the inventory might not be 20 helicopters. However, the number of
units were previously part of Il serviceable because of the lack of spare serviceable fixed-wingairerait is
Operational Group for Herzegovina (also parts and maintenance personnel. The considerably lower than indicated. This is

known as the Trebinje-Bileéa Operational Serbian forces also use large number of primarily due to lack of adequate
Group). The commander of the the domestically produced 128 mm maintenance and also because of
Herzegovinian Corps is a colonel. a sign Plamen and Oganj multiple rocket relatively high tosses inflictedthe
perhaps thal its strength does not launchers. and a small number of the Croatian air defences in western
exceed severa! thousand men. joinlly developed lraqi-Yugoslav 262 mm Herzegovina. The total number of

The organization and equipment of the Orkan multiple rocket launcher which can helicopters might be, however, higher
federal troops ~nBosnia and Herzegovina fire submunitions up to ranges o50 km. than indicated.
varies greally.There is also a Jackof The Serbian forces have huge quantities The principalairerait used by the
reliable open sources about the real of small arms and ammunition. Serbian forces for ground support are
strength of these forces. A Croatian Reported tlefederal army illegally domestically designed Orao-2 and

source claimed thal about 70 per cent of seized about 450 000 small arms. of Jastreb. A few MiG-21s are used mostly
the weapons and equipment laken away which 20 000 were in Sarajevo atone. for reconnaissance. Despite Serbian
with the federal troops deployed in · The former federal troops in Bosnia deniais. the federal air force jets are
Slovenia and Croatia was eventually and Herzegovina are with sorne extensively used in support of the
assigned to the former 4th, 17th. and exceptions very poorly trained and led. Serbian lorces on the ground. These jets

37th Corps, white 30 percent was There is a great shortage of junior use the air bases at Batajnica (near
assigned to the former 5th Corps and the officers and NCOs. The morale and Belgrade). NiS. Ponikve (near Utice).
Bihaé Corps. The FRY President claimed discipline of the troops is very. This is PriSlina. and Podgorica for combat

An Oganf128 mm multiple rocket launcher of the Federal Army. ·J.'
,,r''

,J.. ANE'S INTELLIGENCE REVIEW October 1992EUROPE

. missions over Bosnia and Herzegomissiles around the besieged cityand Herzegovina.
Reportedly. eight ex-lraqi MiG-23Sarajevo. Therbian troor:;c;in theThe operational chain of command in
bombers are used to bomb targets use large numberstriple 2Qmm the former federal army has not t:ieen
Bosnia from their bases in SerbiaOerlikon and the Czech-designed tradically changed since the summer of
most advancedirerait in the inven30 mm AA guns. However. none of t1991. However. theian president,
the former federal air force. the MiGis radar-controlled. The troops in
Slobodan Milosevié,exercises far more
'Fulcrum·. does not fly very oltethe field are equipped with relatcontrol over the former federal army than
kept in readiness for the defencelarge numbers of ex-Soviet SA-7 hedid only a few months ago. Alter the.
Belgrade. (Strela-1/2M) missiles. purge of more thal 40 generais and
Recent reports suggest thal Serbs flew admirais in April 1992, there are no
their transportrait from Batajnica to 'Titoist' generais in office, regardless or
the Udbina airport northwest of Knin andcal Support whether they were Serbs or non-Serbs.
thento Banja Luka to carry supplies for Currently, General Staff in Belgrade is
their troops. These flights were allowedbian forces have more thanobedient to President Milosevié.The
by the UN under the Serbian pretext ofcient supplies of weapons anBelgrade regime not only plans the
the 'humanitarian aid' as such ammunition to continue fighting aactions of theian forces in.Bosnia
were initially used for the evacuation ofleve! of intensity than and Herzegovina but also keeps these
two years accordingsorne reports.
federaltroops and their dependants from forces supplied with weapons,
western Bosnia. None of thes was The Serbian forces have control oequipment, and ammunition. The
supervised by the UN. unlike fligtwo-thirds of theOtons of commanders of therbian forces in that
Sarajevo airport. However. a senior UNitioin the possession of therepublic are assigned, promoted or
official in Zagreb has vehementlyformer federal army.these forces dismissed from their posts by the
these reports. highly dependentother supplies. General'Staff in Belgrade, which in turn
The main base for thean fixed­ .especially fairerait. tanks and gets its orders from President Milosevié.
wingairerait in Bosnia is at Mahoarmouredvehiclèandspecial
(near Banja Luka). This base is small andt which can only come froOr Milan Vega was born in the former
cannat accommodate large numbers ofrbia and Montenegro. Thus. the Yugoslaviat now works in the USA
airerait. Moreover, its fuel capacity is onlyes are supplied bath where he teaches East European history

500 tons. So far. the Serbian forces haveoverland. Despite and politics aaswnaval operational
not succeedein seizing a refinery atctions. therereports thal liteart.full list of references used in this
Bosanski Brod which would !essen theireds of Serbian tractor-trailarticlen be obtained from the Editor.
needto rely on fuel transported overlandng oil tankers move daily over the
from Serbia. Because the repair facilityrom northwestern part of Notes depl~{ y~mpÈpm~t~s~~~}
'Kozmos't Banja Luka was evacuatedcross the Drina River to Bijeljina and
to Serbia. servicing and maintenance ofo Banja Luka and other in 1.corr;Posec:ttomiëruila';:'
the remaining aircraft is exceedinglyern Bosnia. Other raad· Operational G{n:imris-the ·.
difficult. Most of the helicopters arenications to the Serbian forces17th Corpsf and the newly established.
based at Zalutani, also near Banja Luka.n across the Drina River at Sabac {Vaijevo).Cof~~{-<··-_
Another large base near Tuzla. used byca. BralinacVi~gra dnother 2.The Serbian term for the gùeirilla~type
overland supply usedupply the ~~~~t -~~O~q~lfteëdr_::i·:~~!~:~·..
the former federal air force. is elementsinthe·Tito-losfthe~e
surroundedy Moslem and Croatian Serbian forces runs fromSéepanPolje Second World Wa.:.;,ë"···:·;'.'-·-::·.·-'-'
forces. The Butmir airport near (Montenegro) toajevo. 3.Formeriy 5th G'-~'?:-·:··
is currently controlled by the UN forces 4.Probably only .onebattery is operable... _
and is used exclusively for humanConclusions 5.Formerly BihaéCorpst-','·:'''·;.Uf •• :· ·· ·
aid to the besieged city. The air base at s.Formerly 9th Coq)s: Atteof~,, liv
Mostar has been evacuated as it was a .. the UNPROFOR forces to '.ector
major part of therait factory 'Soko'. Armer federal troops deployed iSouth' (horthe,r:npalmatia), the r:najor,..·.,
naval helicopter squadron (Mi-14 Bosnia and Herzegovina althdugh part of coipwiasredeployed to the •
'Haze-A' and Ka-25 'Hormone-A') basedtively large and powerfully armeBosnian sidthborder WitlϕCroatia}
there has been relocatedat (Bay ofoorly organized. trained and led.7.. FormerlqorP$Alsoca:thf3d'i:~,
Cattaro). successes have been almost entirely due
Sarajevo-Romanija·corp's7'::;.:A~-'.~:::•<:~}-
to their overwhelming superiority s_The Corpsl..vas·m oviIdostar·,
Air Defence firepower over the Moslem and Croatito Nevesinje probabl19.~"::.;;
forces. However. whenever they have Reportedly, inoaluni ~f th.
met a well-armed and motivated Uiice Corps have been-wittidraw·rito
Air defence of the Serbian forces inonent they have suffered defeat orheir previous deployment areà around : :
Bosnia and Herzegovina is generallyvere setback.
weak and is certainly no match for anyhaps. one of the most misleading
US and allied forces, The only long-rangeong sorne Western politiciio. ~ ~= .t•• = f~
air surveillance radars (probablyand media is thal thean forces in 11. From.the former 4th Cor· ..·:/i''·':f*<
P-35s) are located on the mountain topsançf Herzegovina are somehow12Composed oparof the Podgorica
beyond anyone's control. This is justorps andhe Rijeka Corps. .·:·e. ··
of Jahorina (southeast ofvo), currerit strength of the corps is probably
Kozara (northeast of Banja Luka}.what the Belgrade regime wants the rtlJJChlower than that shown 'with sorne·
Pljesevica (west of Bihaé).and Majevicae worldbelieve. But this is tounits being redetoMo~ie ..i,egrin
(north of Tuzla). The air base near Banjahe recent resubordination ofterritory: , •.'~(:',·~~•···.
Luka is defended one division of themer federal army unitsnia and 13. Previouslù1arIOpei'ational ·..·
SA-2 (Volkhov) and a single batteHerzegovina was designed to fulfil tGroupfo~erzegovina {ais() called.the ·•·
SA-6 (KUB-M) missiles. ln addition. ones of theCE and EC and Bil~a-Tr OeeaioajGroup)•• ·.-·
battery of theish radar-controllethereby avoid sanctions. white den14Perhâps as·man20of these aircraft .
40 mm L?OM guns is deployed aroundy responsibility and culpability of the
the base. According to sorne federal army and theian leadership have been tost in:cfar,-~·o
unconfirmed reports the Serbs have afsoe aggression against the 15. Northwest of Knin ln the Serbian •··•·
deployed two divisions of6/9 internationally recognized state of Bosnialled part of C'':: ';/

Document Long Title

Supplement to the Application and to the Second Request for the Indication of Provisional Measures submitted by the Government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Links