Operation Sana

Operation Sana
Part of the Bosnian War
Date October 10–13, 1995 Location Bosnia and Herzegovina Result ARBiH victory Sanski Most retaken by the ARBiH
Belligerents
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina	Republika Srpska
Commanders and leaders
Atif Dudaković	Željko Ražnatović
Strength
25,000	20,000-30,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Operation Sana (Bosnian: Operacija Sana) was the last military operation undertaken by the Bosnian Army during the Bosnian War. It was undertaken in October 1995, in the series of general counteroffensives by Bosnian and Croatian forces following Operation Storm. After successful initial phases, Operation Sana ended because the Dayton Agreement was signed, ending the war.

Before the battle

The Bihać pocket was an area of northwest Bosnia centered around the city of Bihać, where Bosnian forces (ABiH's Fifth Corps, five brigades strong) were surrounded and besieged by Serb forces since the war begun in 1992. In mid-1995, joint Croatian Serb and Bosnian Serb forces, aided by Fikret Abdić's secessionists, launched an offensive to take the area, but were repulsed. Still the pocket was in danger of falling and the international community feared a repeat of the Srebrenica massacre there. This was one of the reasons the Croatian Army was given a green light to retake Serb areas in Croatia in Operation Storm, in which the Fifth Corps participated. Once Storm was completed, the Bihać pocket was relieved from the west and the north and the Bosnian forces there could start their own counteroffensives aimed eastwards over the Sana River.

The Operation

Day 1: October 10

The operation started at 3:00 A.M. on October 10, 1995. ABiH's Fifth Corps successfully crossed the river Sana by 4:00 A.M. and by 5:00 P.M. the ARBiH forces had the city of Sanski Most in sight.

Day 2: October 11

The ARBiH encircled VRS forces in Sanski Most and their positions were bombed throughout the day. Serb forces responded by launching counterattacks, including air assaults via helicopters.

Day 3: October 12

The civilians left the city in masses. The ARBiH began to move into parts of the city. The city was fully captured within 9 to 10 hours. The Fifth Corps of the ARBiH placed their new Headquarters in the "Sana Hotel" in the city.

Day 4: October 13

The peace talks in Dayton, Ohio continued and the ARBiH was asked to stop all their offensive operations until an agreement was reached.

The war ended on the same day with the Dayton Agreement being reached. As a result of the operation, the area of Sanski Most is today part of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as opposed to the Republika Srpska.

References

• The first part of a detailed documentary of the Offensive
• The second part of a detailed documentary of the Offensive