Operation Spider

Operation Spider
Part of the Bosnian War and Intra-Bosnian Muslim War

Army movements during Operation Spider
Date16 November – 17 December 1994
Location45°11′N 15°48′E / 45.183°N 15.800°E / 45.183; 15.800
Result

VRS and NOZB victory

  • The APZB is re-established
  • NOZB takes back Velika Kladuša and around 20 villages
Belligerents
Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia
Republika Srpska
 Republic of Serbian Krajina
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commanders and leaders
Franko Simatović
Jovica Stanišić
Mile Novaković
Atif Dudaković
Izet Nanić
Jasmin Kulenović
Units involved
Strength
5,000
2,500
500
10,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown Heavy

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. 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 and Jovica Stanišić 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.