Operation Spider (Serbo-Croatian: Operacija Pauk, Операција Паук) were a series of military actions in northwestern Bosnia that began in November 1994 and continued until December 1994.[2][3] It was a combined effort of Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serb Krajina to recover the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB), which was a key ally of the Serbs. Franko Simatović[2][4][3] and Jovica Stanišić[2][3] commanded the offensive. The Bosnian central government had previously overrun and seized the territory. The offensive ended in a Serb victory and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia remained in existence until the fall of its key ally, the Republic of Serbian Krajina, and the subsequent end of the war.[5]
The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) 5th corps, under Bosnian general Atif Dudaković[6] and Hamdija Abdić, conducted an offensive into the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia on August 21, 1994, and completely overrun the entire province on August 22, 1994. During this offensive, around 40,000 Muslims loyal to Fikret Abdić fled to the Republic of Serbian Krajina.[7]Fikret Abdić, the former president of the APZB, had already fled to Croatia (Republic of Serbian Krajina), where he stayed until his province was liberated and restored.
Prelude
On September 27, 1994, the Army of the Republic of Serbian Krajina (SVK) and the Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) attacked and invaded a small part of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with Krajina attacking from the south and Republika Srpska from the southeast. On October 2, their forces met and continued invading, but made little progress towards their goal was of capturing Bihać and liberating the APZB.
The invading armies continued to advance and made steady progress until November 3, 1994, when the forces of the ARBiH 5th Corps stopped them and pushed them back. Three days later, on November 6, the 5th Corps was almost cut off from the rest of the ARBiH army. The 5th Corps advanced south, aiming to destroy the Krajina army and liberate the APZB. They pushed back the Serbs from the outskirts of Bihać to below the village of Kulen Vakuf.
The operation to liberate Velika Kladuša began on November 16, 1994. The plan was to force the enemy to leave the city voluntarily, in order to avoid street fighting and heavy losses. In order to do this, the Serbian-autonomous forces began to bypass Velika Kladuša from the north and south. The fighting rested in the area of Bosanska Bojna and Vrnograč, between TG - 9 and the 506th and 505th brigades of the ARBiH. A fierce battle began with the units of the 506th Mountain Brigade on the heights surrounding the city. Strong pressure on the flanks and a 2km advance in the north of Kladuša: Ponikve - Poljane. South of the city, part of TG - 8 achieves success, pushing back the Allied fighters 3km near Šmrekovac. For the next seven days, heavy fighting continued around Kladuša. Serbian-autonomous forces are advancing slowly, relying on artillery support. The 506th brigade receives reinforcements from the 503rd, 505th and 517th brigades. On November 19, units of the National Defense occupied the height of Keserovića Brdo (235m). Which dominates the southern part of the city and intersects the road to the south. The enemy was suppressed in the sector near Elezovići. By November 21, another 5km is covered and it emerges on the road Velika Kladuša - Cazin. At the end of November, the 5th Corps found itself in a chaotic state. The Vrnograč and Cazin roads were cut and great losses were caused. In December, there was a short lull before the decisive battle for the return of Autonomy.
Meanwhile, during the increasingly successful Serbian advance in the south of the enclave. Angry voices could be heard from the "international community", which in October, during the advance of the ARBiH, observed the situation with complete indifference. Now, however, the UN remembered that Bihać is a "protected zone", and once again turned on the warning sirens and threats against the Serbs. During the first week of December, the Serbian-autonomous advance continued. On December 4, the National Defense Command announced that they had taken control of Drmaljevo on the border with Croatia, northwest of Kladuša, as well as the important Plazikur hill in the northeastern outskirts of the city.
It was clear to Dudaković that his days in Velika Kladuša were numbered and the rapid withdrawal from the city continued. 14-15. December, the Serbian-autonomous forces defeat the forces of the 5th Corps at Plazikur on the southern outskirts of the city. Dudaković orders the withdrawal of his units and the abandonment of Velika Kladuša. The front line was moved another 5km southeast of the city, on the main road Kladuša - Cazin. On December 17, the National Defense forces liberated their city.[8]
Timeline
While in the southern part of the "Bihać pocket" the Serbian counter-offensive is in victorious momentum (Operation Shield 94), in the north the preparation for the return of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia is resting.[9] Three National Defense brigades were re-formed with the Serbian "Red Berets" on November 10: the 1st Veliko-Kladuska, 2nd Cazin and 3rd Vrnogračka brigades, with a total number of about 5,000 people. The brigades took up positions along the border of Serbian Krajina and BiH in the area of Velika Kladuša.
Aftermath
The aftermath of this operation left the 5th Corps still encircled by the APZB, the Republic of Serbian Krajina, and the Republika Srpska. This encirclement continued until Operation Storm, when the Republic of Serbian Krajina—a key ally to the APZB—was defeated in August 1995, marking a huge turning point for the Bosnian War and Croatian War of Independence. The APZB had no strength to take on the Bosnian Army, and were completely overrun by the 5th Corps in just one day, with Velika Kladuša being taken when Operation Storm ended on August 7, 1995.[10]
Operation Spider and Operation Storm left many towns forever destroyed and ruined, most of which were on the frontlines of the conflict. There are about 8 ruined towns in the area: 3 next to Bihać, 1–2 next to Velika Kladuša, and 2–3 in the middle of the area.[11]
