Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Unit name	Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Native name	Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine
Caption	Emblem of the ARBiH
Dates	1992–1995
Country	Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Type	Army
Role	Territorial defense
Size	Peak: ~200,000
Garrison	Sarajevo
Garrison label	Headquarters
Battles	Bosnian War, – Siege of Sarajevo, – Operation Neretva '93, – Operation Tvigi 94, – Operation Summer '95, – Operation Mistral 2, – Operation Sana
Notable commanders	Sefer Halilović, Rasim Delić, Jovan Divjak, Mustafa Hajrulahović

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, commonly abbreviated as ARBiH, was the official military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War from 1992 until 1995. Formed from the territorial defense structures of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina following the declaration of independence and the outbreak of war, it was a multi-ethnic force comprising primarily Bosniaks, but also significant numbers of Bosnian Croats and Bosnian Serbs loyal to the Sarajevo government. Its primary mission was the defense of the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity against the separatist forces of the Army of Republika Srpska and, at times, the Croatian Defence Council.

History

The ARBiH was formally established on 15 April 1992 by the government of Alija Izetbegović, building upon the pre-existing framework of the Territorial Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its creation was a direct response to the escalating conflict initiated by the Army of Republika Srpska and the Serbian Volunteer Guard, following the 1992 Bosnian independence referendum. The early phase of the war was marked by the Siege of Sarajevo and the struggle to establish functional command over isolated enclaves such as Goražde, Srebrenica, and Bihać. Internal political and military dynamics were complex, involving coordination and later conflict with the Croatian Defence Council during the Bosniak-Croat War, before reuniting under the Washington Agreement and the formation of the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Organization and structure

The ARBiH was organized into corps, which were geographically based formations often corresponding to major regions or besieged areas. Key corps included the 1st Corps operating in the Sarajevo area, the 2nd Corps in Tuzla, the 3rd Corps in Zenica, the 4th Corps in Mostar, and the 5th Corps in Bihać. The high command, or Main Staff, was headquartered in Sarajevo under the President of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the supreme commander. Notable commanders throughout its existence included Chiefs of the Main Staff Sefer Halilović and Rasim Delić, as well as Deputy Commander Jovan Divjak.

Equipment and arms

Initially, the ARBiH was severely underequipped, inheriting only a fraction of the arsenal of the former Yugoslav People's Army which had been largely withdrawn by Serb-controlled forces. Early equipment consisted of light infantry weapons, with a critical shortage of heavy artillery, armored vehicles, and aircraft. This led to widespread improvisation and the establishment of clandestine production facilities like the Pretis factory in Vogošća. Throughout the war, the army's arsenal improved significantly due to captured weapons from opposing forces, black market purchases, and foreign support, eventually fielding T-55 tanks, M-84 tanks, BM-21 Grad multiple rocket launchers, and anti-tank guided missiles.

Operations and campaigns

The ARBiH conducted defensive and later offensive operations across a wide front. Major defensive struggles included the protracted Siege of Sarajevo, the defense of the Srebrenica and Žepa enclaves, and the Battle for Goražde. Significant offensive campaigns were launched in the later stages of the war, often in coordination with the Croatian Defence Council following the Washington Agreement. Key operations included Operation Neretva '93 in Herzegovina, Operation Tvigi 94 in central Bosnia, and the large-scale Operation Summer '95 and Operation Mistral 2 in western Bosnia, which paved the way for the final Operation Sana and the pressures leading to the Dayton Agreement.

International relations and support

The ARBiH's primary international advocate and source of diplomatic support was the government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina itself, which sought international recognition and intervention. While a United Nations arms embargo officially restricted military aid, the army received substantial clandestine logistical support, financial aid, and volunteer fighters from various Islamic countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey. Organizations like the Third Saudi Relief Committee and the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps were involved in channeling support. Thousands of foreign volunteers, known as Mujahideen, fought in units such as the El Mudžahid Detachment within the ARBiH.

Legacy and aftermath

Following the Dayton Agreement in December 1995, the ARBiH was formally disbanded and its forces, along with those of the Croatian Defence Council, were integrated into the unified armed forces of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, a process overseen by the Implementation Force. The legacy of the ARBiH is complex, celebrated by many as the defender of Bosnian sovereignty, but also scrutinized for war crimes committed by some of its units, as prosecuted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia against commanders like Rasim Delić and Enver Hadžihasanović. Its history remains a central pillar of national identity for Bosniaks and a subject of ongoing political and historical discourse in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Category:Military history of Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:Bosnian War Category:1992 establishments in Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:1995 disestablishments in Bosnia and Herzegovina