General information
First Active Year: 1991
Current Name: Croatian irregulars
Current Name full English: Croatian irregulars
Current Name full native language: n/a
Original Name: Croatian irregulars
Original Name full English: Croatian irregulars
Original Name full native language: n/a
Actor Chronology
This section contains information about (if applicable) group splinters, name changes, and alliances according to the UCDP definitions of these concepts.
UCDP has not recorded any Chronology Activities involving this group.
Conflict issues
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - Croatian irregulars
Conflict Goal Issues: Croatian irregulars was a collective name for non-organized Croat nationalist militia forces fighting on the side of the Republic of Croatia against the government of Serbia. Croatian irregulars are considered a rebel group under an umbrella categorizing of numerous groups as the actions within the territories were often impossible to attribute to specific groups. The group emerged in Serbia in 1991, when it called for Croatian independence within Serbian territory and for “territories which were once part of the Croatian state before 1918” to be retaken.
In 1992, Croatian irregulars reemphasized its intentions to ensure Croatian independence within its occupied territories. As the only interpreted conflict goal issue for the group, independence is considered the main issue for Croatian irregulars.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Croatian irregulars were interpreted as stating one issue pertaining to conflict dynamics issues in Serbia, when they called for the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces and Serb nationalists in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia in 1992.
Conflict Resolution Issues: In 1991, Croatian irregulars stated its opposition to ceasefire agreements with Serbia, calling Croatian President Franjo Tudman “a ‘traitor’ for agreeing to the ceasefire”. The group also stated its opposition to peace agreements with the Serbian government. In 1992, the group also stated its opposition to negotiations, stating that “Croatia must regain its lost land by force.”
Type of conflict issues: The coded conflict issues for this group are: Conflict Goal Issues: Independence
Conflict Dynamics Issues: DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces
Conflict Resolution Issues:
Opposition to ceasefire, Opposition to negotiations, Opposition to peace agreement
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina - Croatian irregulars
Conflict Goal Issues: Croatian irregulars was a collective name for non-organized Croat nationalist militia forces fighting on the side of the Republic of Croatia against the government of Serbia and, later, against the government of Bosnia-Herzegovina on the side of the Croatian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Croatian irregulars are considered a rebel group under an umbrella categorizing of numerous groups as the actions within the territories were often impossible to attribute to specific groups. The collective goal of Croatian irregulars fighting within Bosnia-Herzegovina were similar to those of the Croatian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, aiming to establish an independent Croat political entity within Bosnia-Herzegovina. During 1991, the group stated its intentions to protect the civil rights of Croat people in Bosnia-Herzegovina and to establish independence and “to regain those territories which were once part of the Croatian state before 1918.” In 1992, the first official year of conflict, Croatian irregulars reemphasized its calls for civil rights. The group also called for the federalization of the Bosnian state which would entail autonomy for “all three ethnic groups” (Bosnian, Serb, and Croat), establishing a federal state structure.
In 1993, Croatian irregulars once again reemphasized its goals of independence.
The main conflict goal issue of Croatian irregular forces was the establishment of an independent Croat entity within Bosnia-Herzegovina. This issue was frequently and continuously stated and was shared with the goal of the Croatian Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Conflict Dynamics Issues: Croatian irregulars were interpreted as stating one conflict dynamics issue, when the group in 1992 called for the withdrawal of UN peacekeeping forces that had been deployed in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Conflict Resolution Issues: Croatian irregulars stated one conflict resolution issue in 1992, when they stated its commitment to resolving the conflict through military means and opposing negotiations: “Croatia must regain its lost land by force.”
Type of conflict issues: The coded conflict issues for this group are: Conflict Goal Issues: Autonomy, Civil rights, Federalism, Independence, Religious rights
Conflict Dynamics Issues: DFI: Withdrawal of military intervention/foreign forces
Conflict Resolution Issues: Opposition to negotiations
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - Croatian irregulars
1993
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina - Croatian irregulars
1994
Actor Active in Dyad(s):
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina - Croatian irregulars
Group Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991 Group Archive
Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia) - Croatian irregulars
Comment on Name: The Croatian irregulars consisted of around six militias (as well as loosely organised Croat civilians) opposed to Croatian leadership. Among these militias were the Croatian Defence Forces/the HOS (Hrvatske Ombrambene Snage; military wing of the extreme nationalist Croatian Rights Party), the Black Legion, the Wolves of Vukovar (renegade unit of Croatian National Guards and affiliated to President Tudjmans right wing party Croatian Democratic Community) and the Zebras (affiliated to neofascist groups).
Comment on Active: Initially, the irregulars consisted of a smaller number of paramilitary groups. These paramilitaries expanded rapidly, and with time turned into vast civilian (amateur) militias.
Troop Size: 10 000 - 15 000
Comment on Troop Size: Around 10 000 - 15 000 men fought for the Croatian Defence Forces. The Wolves of Vukovar (active in eastern Croatia) appeared to have been around 1500 members, the Zebras (active in Western Croatia) around 180 men, the Black Legion (active in eastern Croatia) around 300 men.
1993 Group Archive
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina - Croatian irregulars
Comment on Name: The Croatian irregulars were non-local Croats, originating from Croatia. They consisted mainly of the Croatian Defence Force (the HOS:Hrvatske Obrambene Snage) and possibly of some remaining parts of other militias that had been fighting against the Yugoslav government and Serbian irregulars in Croatia (and in Bosnia) in 1991 and 1992.
The Croatian warring parties have been coded as two separate parties - Croatian irregulars and the Croatian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The army of the Croatian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, (referred to as ‘the Herzegovinian territorial army’, the Bosnian Croat army or the HVO/the Croatian Military Council), initially consisted of local Croats, originating from Bosnia. In April-May 1993, after their leader had been killed, the non-local Croatian irregulars/the HOS were incorporated into the Bosnian Croat army/the HVO.
When there has been no separate data for the two parties, the same information has been given in both dyads.
Comment on Active: The Croatian irregulars (the HOS/Croatian Defence Force) were weakened throughout the year. Croatian President Tudjman did his utmost to eliminate the HOS political wing (the Croatian Party of Rights) and the main figure for both branches; Dobroslav Paraga.
In April-May, the HOS became part of the HVO. Instead of fighting with the Bosnian government against Serbs, they began to follow HVOs goal and strategies. Thus, the irregulars started to fight against the Bosnian government. Even if being under HVO commando, the HOS kept their own organisation, ideology, commander and armband.
Troop Size: 1000 - 45 000
Comment on Troop Size: As the HOS fighters were incorporated into the Bosnian Croat army in April-May, it was difficult to determine how many troops the Croatian irregulars amounted to. One source stated that 1000 HOS troops were deployed in Bosnia in 1993. However, in January 1992, it appeared as if as many as 16 000 HOS troops were stationed in Western Herzegovina. Furthermore, another source mentioned that as many as 45 000 Croatian irregulars were deployed in mid-March 1992. The Croatian irregulars were fighting on all the main Bosnian fronts.
1994 Group Archive
Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina - Croatian irregulars
Comment on Active: Most Croatian irregulars had been incorporated into the Bosnian Croat/Herzegovinian territorial army (the HVO).
Troop Size: 5000
Comment on Troop Size: Up to 5000 HOS soldiers were reportedly deployed in Bosnia. However, due to the aspiration of the Croatian Republic of Bosnia to incorporate the Croatian irregulars into its army, the figure is uncertain.
