General information
Part of Conflict: Serbia (Yugoslavia): Croatia
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1991-10-22
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: Croatian irregulars were active already in July. There were also indications that one of the militias, the Wolves of Vukovar, was set up a few months before the summer. However, no stated goal of incompatibility could be found until 22 October. On this date, the leader of the Wolves of Vukovar said that "the command that started the defence was useless" and that "we do what needs to be done; to take out the installations that are hurting the Croatian people". The military splinter groups claimed that Croatian President Tudjman on purpose decided not to use all resources in the defence of Vukovar. They considered Tudjmans strategy to be "betrayal at highest level". Another statement was made on 16 October by the Croatian Defence Forces: "it is time for us to take over the ministry of defence... our plan is to take over the battle". In short, the goal of the Croatian irregulars was to organise defence for the Croatian people in a more efficient way than the Croatian National Guardsmen did (had orders to do).
Date of first use of armed force: 1991-07-04
Comment on date of first use of armed force: Fighting involving the militia Croatian Defence Forces took place in eastern Croatia.
First Battle Related Death: 1991-07-10
Comment on First Battle Related Death: Yugoslav troops battled Croatian irregulars/Croatian Defence Forces with mortars and tanks on 10 July. One person was killed in the fighting, which took place close to the Serbian-Croatian frontier.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1991-08-02
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: No exact date can be found for when the conflict had reached 25 battle-related deaths. By the end of July, it happened regularly that 20 - 40 people died in one day. However, it was difficult to determine how many of these deaths that occurred in battle-related fights. On 2 Aug, Croatian forces lost 80 people close to the Serbian-Croatian border, most of them being killed in Yugoslavian tank bombardment.
Conflict issues
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
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 25 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 25 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of Serbia (Yugoslavia)): n/a
Side B (Croatian irregulars): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1991 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: As the Croatian irregulars comprised a variety of armed units, there were at least three different wars ongoing in Croatia: in Slavonia (eastern Croatia), in Krajina and in southern Dalmatia. Some of the most intense fighting took place in eastern Croatia, in Vukovar in particular. The JNA held Vukovar under siege for more than two months. In November, when Vukovar fell, the Croatian irregulars there had suffered heavy losses. After the JNAs victory at the battlefield, many Croatian fighters were taken as prisoners of wars. By the end of 1991, Tudjman had succeeded to incorporate all those different units of Croatian irregulars that remained into the Croatian National Guard.
Negotiations: NO
Comment on Negotiations: The Croatian irregulars did not participate in the negotiations.
Victory: YES
Victorious side: A
Comment on Victory: As the Croatian irregulars comprised a variety of armed units, there were at least three different wars ongoing in Croatia: in eastern Slavonia (eastern Croatia), in Krajina and in southern Dalmatia. The JNA achieved a clear victory on the battlefield in eastern Slavonia, the scene of the most intense fighting. The JNA held Vukovar under siege for more than two months. In November, when Vukovar fell, the Croatian irregulars there had suffered heavy losses. After the JNAs victory on the battle-field, many Croatian fighters were taken as prisoners of wars. As for those Croatian irregulars who fought in other parts of the country, President Tudjman had succeeded to incorporate them into the Croatian National Guard.
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Victory
Date of termination: 1991-11-18
Comment on Termination: As the Croatian irregulars comprised a variety of armed units, there were at least three different wars ongoing in Croatia: in Slavonia (eastern Croatia), in Krajina and in southern Dalmatia. Some of the most intense fighting took place in eastern Croatia, in Vukovar in particular. In November, Vukovar fell, and the JNA's could claim the victory at the battlefield. The armed force used by the other Croatian irregulars also terminated by the end of 1991, as Tudjman then had succeeded to incorporate all those different units that remained into the Croatian National Guard.
Comment on Termination Date: On 18 November, Vukovar fell to the JNA. Sporadic attacks by Croatian irregulars occurred for some time throughout the county. However, the capture of Vukovar was the crucial victory for the JNA, both strategically and symbolically. It was clear that the Croatian militias had failed to put up persistent resistance to the JNA. By the end of November, most remaining Croatian irregulars had come under the command of the national army (the Croatian National Guard).
