Editing Siege of Sarajevo (section)

====Early fighting for control of the city====
[[File:Sarajevo May 2 1992.JPG|thumb|left|A [[CIA]] map of the JNA attack on 2 May 1992]]

In the months leading up to the war, JNA forces in the region began to mobilize in the hills surrounding Sarajevo. Artillery, together with other ordnance and equipment that would prove key in the coming siege of the city, was deployed at this time. In April 1992, the Bosnian government under Izetbegović demanded that the Yugoslav government remove these forces. [[Slobodan Milošević]], the president of Serbia, agreed only to withdraw individuals who originated from outside Bosnia's borders, an insignificant number.<ref name="UNCOE" /> JNA soldiers who were ethnic Serbs from Bosnia were transferred to the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) under the command of General [[Ratko Mladić]], with the VRS having rescinded its allegiance to Bosnia a few days after Bosnia seceded from Yugoslavia.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=131}}

On 5 April 1992, a unit of the Yugoslav Peoples Army (JNA) seized the airport of Sarajevo.<ref name="galic" /><ref name=":1">{{Citation |title=The Death Of Yugoslavia [4/6] The Gates Of Hell -BBC Documentary | date=12 September 2017 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hY7BwM952ZY |language=en |access-date=2022-09-20}}. Watch 30:09 - 30:50</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |date=8 January 2017 |title=Sarajevo International Airport |url=https://sarajevo.travel/en/text/sarajevo-international-airport/560#:~:text=On%20the%20night%20of%20April%205%2C%201992%2C%20the,in%20modern%20history%2C%20lasting%20an%20unbelievable%201%2C425%20days.?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=48472935B41D4AB8A7A3807319867D05 |website=Destanation Sarajevo}}</ref> It was under the direct control of [[Belgrade]].<ref name=":1" />

In May 1992, units of the JNA stationed in Sarajevo found themselves repeatedly under attack. On 2 May, Bosniak forces consisting of the Green Berets and the Patriotic League, opened fire on a column of eight JNA [[MEDEVAC]] vehicles in Vojvode Stepe street.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://borackars.org/srpski-borac-120-121/|title=Српски борац 120 -121|date=28 January 2015}}</ref> This attack caused the JNA to retreat to Serb-held positions in [[Lukavica (Bosnia and Herzegovina)|Lukavica]] district.

On 2 May 1992, Bosnian Serb forces established a total blockade of the city. They blocked the major access roads, cutting supplies of food and medicine, and also cut off the city's utilities (e.g., water, electricity and heating). Although they possessed superior weaponry, they were greatly outnumbered by ARBiH soldiers who were defending the city. After numerous JNA armored columns failed to take the city, the Serbs began to concentrate their efforts on weakening it by using continual [[bombardment]] from at least 200 reinforced positions and [[bunker]]s in the surrounding hills.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web |title=the siege of sarajevo summary |url=https://ninaspezzaferro.com/a2eq4m/the-siege-of-sarajevo-summary |access-date=2022-12-14 |website=ninaspezzaferro.com}}</ref>

[[File:Damaged government building in Sarajevo, 1996.JPEG|thumb|The damaged [[Greece–Bosnia and Herzegovina Friendship Building|government building]]]]

On 3 May 1992, members of the ARBiH attacked a convoy of withdrawing JNA soldiers on [[1992 Yugoslav People's Army column incident in Sarajevo|Dobrovoljačka Street]] in Sarajevo.<ref name="b92">{{cite web| publisher=B92| url=http://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=03&dd=05&nav_category=64&nav_id=497006| title=Sarajevo ogorčeno zbog Divjaka| date=5 March 2011| access-date=7 March 2011}}</ref> The attack is thought to have been in retaliation for the arrest of Izetbegović, who was detained at Sarajevo Airport by Yugoslav police the previous day.<ref>{{cite news| newspaper=The New York Times| url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/05/03/world/sarajevo-s-center-erupts-in-war-weakening-yugoslav-truce-effort.html?scp=1&sq=sarajevo%20may%203%201992&st=cse| author=John F. Burns| title=Sarajevo's Center Erupts in War, Weakening Yugoslav Truce Effort| date=3 May 1992| access-date=7 March 2011}}</ref> The attack started with the convoy being separated when a car was driven into it. Then sporadic and disorganized fighting took place for several minutes in and around the convoy. 6–42 soldiers were killed in the incident.<ref>{{Cite news |date=4 May 2010 |title=О Ганићевој одговорности |pages=1 |work=[[Radio Television of Serbia|RTS]] |url=https://www.rts.rs/page/stories/ci/story/134/%D0%A5%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B0/543301/%D0%9E+%D0%93%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D1%9B%D0%B5%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%98+%D0%BE%D0%B4%D0%B3%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BD%D0%BE%D1%81%D1%82%D0%B8.html}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=5 May 2011 |title=Sarajevo ogorčeno zbog Divjaka |url=https://www.b92.net/info/vesti/index.php?yyyy=2011&mm=03&dd=05&nav_category=64&nav_id=497006 |website=B92}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Radovanovic |first=Rade |date=2 February 2012 |title=Slučaj Dobrovoljačka: Falsifikovanje istine |pages=1 |work=[[Alj Azeera]] |url=https://balkans.aljazeera.net/opinions/2012/2/2/slucaj-dobrovoljacka-falsifikovanje-istine}}</ref> General [[Milutin Kukanjac]], the commander of the JNA in Sarajevo, confirmed that just in Dobrovoljačka street alone four officers, one soldier and one civilian were killed in the attack.<ref name=":0" /> General [[Lewis MacKenzie]], the UN peacekeeper in Sarajevo and who was in the convoy described what he saw: "I could see the Territorial Defense soldiers push the rifles through the windows of civilians' cars, which were part of the convoy, and shoot [...] I saw blood flow down the windshields. It was definitely the worst day of my life."<ref>{{Cite book |last=MacKenzie |first=Lewis |title=Peacekeeper: The Road to Sarajevo |publisher=[[LewisMacKenzie]] |date=1 January 1993 |language=English}}</ref> In the Documentary ''The Death of Yugoslavia'' Lewis MacKenzie described how the convoy split in half: "I believe a red [[Volkswagen]] took off and driven across the intersection and blocked and split the convoy in two."<ref name="youtube.com">{{Citation |title=The Death Of Yugoslavia Part 4 The Gates Of Hell 5 | date=May 2015 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=28ixEP9dY6Y |language=en |access-date=2022-09-05}}</ref> General [[Jovan Divjak|Jovan Divijak]], a commander for the ARBiH in Sarajevo, tried to stop the shooting and calm things down.<ref name="youtube.com"/>

Shellings of Sarajevo on 24, 26, 28 and 29 May were attributed to Mladić by [[Boutros-Ghali]].{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} Civilian casualties of a 27 May shelling of the city led to Western intervention, in the form of sanctions imposed on 30 May through [[United Nations Security Council Resolution 757]].{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} That same day Bosnian forces attacked the JNA barracks in the city, which was followed by heavy shelling.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} On 5 and 6 June the last JNA personnel left the city during heavy street fighting and shelling.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} The 20 June cease-fire, executed to allow the UN takeover of Sarajevo Airport for humanitarian flights, was broken as both sides battled for control of the territory between the city and airport.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} The airport crisis led to Boutros-Ghali's ultimatum on 26 June, that the Serbs stop attacks on the city, allow the UN to take control of the airport, and place their heavy weapons under UN supervision.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} Meanwhile, media reported that President [[George H. W. Bush]] considered the use of force in Bosnia.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} French President [[François Mitterrand]] visited Sarajevo on 28–29 June.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}}<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Burns |first=John |date=30 June 1992 |title=CONFLICT IN THE BALKANS; U.N. Takes Control of Airport At Sarajevo as Serbs Pull Back |pages=A10 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/06/30/world/conflict-balkans-un-takes-control-airport-sarajevo-serbs-pull-back.html?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=A764DF8A71724215A1E476D17126691A}}</ref> Undramatically, the Serbs handed over the airport to UNPROFOR on 29 June.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=132}} World public opinion was 'decisively and permanently against the Serbs' following media reports on the sniping and shelling.{{sfn|Burg|Shoup|1999|p=133}}

From 25 to 26 August, under command of Colonel [[Tomislav Šipčić]], the [[Vijećnica|Sarajevo City Hall]] was burned down by cannon fire from Serb positions.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 February 2022 |title=Tomislav Šipčić: General koji je spalio vijecnicu |pages=1 |work=[[Grad Sarajevo]] |url=https://www.sarajevo.ba/en/article/10160/tomislav-sipcic-general-koji-je-spalio-vijecnicu?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=EFA57BA1BFEF4C0CA6BCE14239D7366F}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=KOŠUTA |first=ZILHA |date=10 February 2022 |title=Umro Tomislav Šipčić, general koji je ubijao sarajevsku djecu, spalio Vijećnicu i tvrdio da "muslimani bacaju Srbe lavovima" |pages=1 |work=[[STAV]] |url=https://stav.ba/vijest/umro-tomislav-sipcic-general-koji-je-ubijao-sarajevsku-djecu-spalio-vijecnicu-i-tvrdio-da-muslimani-bacaju-srbe-lavovima/11399?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=CC34279A480A413D8E9A83AE608ACF5B}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Citation |title=Bosnians fear another war three decades on | date=6 April 2022 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ca2KuTtaqQc |language=en |access-date=2022-10-01}}</ref>

On 30 August 1992, an artillery shell crashed into a crowded marketplace on the western edge of Sarajevo.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=31 August 1992 |title=Shell Kills 15 in Sarajevo Marketplace : Balkans: Dozens are wounded in one of the bloodiest attacks of the Serbian siege of the Bosnian capital. |pages=1 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-31-mn-5905-story.html#:~:text=A%20howitzer%20shell%20crashed%20into%20a%20crowded%20marketplace,bodies%20into%20pickup%20trucks%20parked%20on%20bloodstained%20ground.?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=DC0BB06A869446D8919CAF5EDA202035}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |last=Sudetic |first=Chuck |date=31 August 1992 |title=15 Killed by Artillery Shell In a Busy Sarajevo Market |pages=6 |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/08/31/world/15-killed-by-artillery-shell-in-a-busy-sarajevo-market.html#:~:text=An%20artillery%20shell%20crashed%20and%20exploded%20in%20a,were%20ending%20a%20siege%20of%20another%20Bosnian%20town.?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=EAB5E67BC09D4E0BA3CC84319B5F3127}}</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=31 August 1992 |title=Shelling at marketplace kills 15, injures dozens in Sarajevo |pages=6 |work=[[Tampa Bay Times]] |url=https://www.tampabay.com/archive/1992/08/31/shelling-at-marketplace-kills-15-injures-dozens-in-sarajevo/?adlt=strict&toWww=1&redig=5BEB1BC52ED942AA85B83D7E5C8C8386}}</ref> The resulting explosion killed 15 people and wounded 100 others.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":6" />
[[File:Sarajevo Siege Turajlic grave.jpg|thumb|Dutch reporter [[Robert Dulmers]] at Hakija Turajlić's graveside, [[Ali Pasha Mosque (Sarajevo)|Ali Pasha Mosque]], March 1993]]