Battle of Osijek

Overview

The Battle of Osijek was the artillery bombardment of the Croatian city of Osijek by the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) which took place from August 1991 to June 1992 during the Croatian War of Independence. Shelling peaked in late November and December 1991, then diminished in 1992 after the Vance plan was accepted by the combatants. Airstrikes and attacks by JNA infantry and armored units against targets in the city accompanied the bombardment, which caused approximately 800 deaths and resulted in a large portion of the city's population leaving. Croatian sources estimated that 6,000 artillery shells were fired against Osijek over the period.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The JNA bombardment of Osijek, sustained from August 1991 to June 1992, was one of the prolonged urban sieges of the Croatian War of Independence. Shelling peaked in late November and December 1991 before diminishing following acceptance of the Vance plan. Over the course of the bombardment, approximately 800 people were killed and a large portion of the city's population was displaced. Croatian sources estimated that 6,000 artillery shells were fired against the city, with the bombardment accompanied by airstrikes and attacks by JNA infantry and armored units. The eventual reduction in shelling after the Vance plan's acceptance tied the fate of Osijek directly to the broader ceasefire diplomacy that shaped the conflict's first phase.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (3)