1994 Goražde air strikes explained

Conflict:Goražde incident
Partof:NATO intervention in Bosnia and Operation Deny Flight
Caption:An F-15C is met by maintenance personnel at Aviano Air Base during Operation Deny Flight
Date:10 – 16 April 1994
Place:around Goražde
Result:VRS victory
Casus:United Nations Security Council Resolution 816
Commander1: Jeremy M. Boorda
Commander2: Ratko Mladić
Combatant1:
Casualties1: 1 French Mirage 2000
1 BAE Sea Harrier shot down
150 of POWs
Casualties2: 1 military command outpost damaged

Goražde incident took place during VRS Operation Zvezda '94, NATO intervened to stop the Serbian offensive on Goražde, but two NATO planes were shot down and 150 UN hostages were taken. In the end NATO was forced to stop the airstrikes and Serbs to stope the offensive on Goražde.[1]

Background

On 12 March, the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) made its first request for NATO air support, but close air support was not deployed, owing to a number of delays associated with the approval process. On 6 April VRS started Operation Star 94 pushing the ARBiH and approaching Goražde. On 10 and 11 April 1994, UNPROFOR called in air strikes to protect the Goražde safe area, resulting in the bombing of a Bosnian Serb military command outpost near Goražde by two US F-16 jets.[2]

Campaign

Two US F-16 jets bombed a Serb military command outpost near Goražde on 10 April. This was the first time in NATO's history it had ever attacked ground targets with aircraft. The VRS stopped the Operation Star 94 for a moment. In reaction to NATO attack, VRS took 150 UN personnel hostage on 14 April. Despite the now more difficult situation due to NATO pressure, the VRS continues to achieve success and reach the first houses in the town of Goražde,[3] where the city battles begin. Serbian fighters arrive only 300 meters from the hospital in Goražde. The VRS gets a special boost in morale after shooting down two NATO planes. First, on April 15, a French aircraft that was on a reconnaissance mission was shot down, and the next day a British Sea Harrier was shot down.[4] The planes were shot down by a Russian SAM-7 missile, which has a gyroscope for guidance.

Aftermath

In the negotiations with UNPROFOR on 18 April, it was agreed that Goražde would be a demilitarized zone, ending the VRS offensive. And on 18 April VRS would end the Operation Star 94.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Operacija Zvijezda 94 – Goražde 1994. Katera . 2024-06-18 . katera.news . sr-Latn.
  2. Book: Balkan Battlegrounds: A Military History of the Yugoslav Conflict, 1990–1995 . 2002 . Central Intelligence Agency, Office of Russian and European Analysis . 978-0-16-066472-4 . 460 . en.
  3. Звијезда 94 – политички притисци и НАТО интервенција . 2021-07-25 . дебељача1 . 2024-06-18 . YouTube.
  4. Горажде 94, Нато бомбардује положај одреда . 2019-08-21 . ВЕТЕРАНИ 3.ОДРЕДА СБП ХЕРЦЕГОВИНА . 2024-06-18 . YouTube.