Siege of Bjelovar Barracks

Siege of Bjelovar Barracks
Part of the Battle of the Barracks
Siege of Bjelovar Barracks is located in Croatia
Captured by Croatia
Captured by Croatia
Controlled by the JNA
Controlled by the JNA
Detached units
Detached units

Major barracks of the JNA 32nd Corps, 29 September 1991
Date14 – 29 September 1991
Location
Result Croatian victory
Belligerents
Yugoslavia  Croatia
Commanders and leaders
Milan Tepić 
Rajko Kovačević Executed
Croatia Želimir Škarec
Units involved

Yugoslav People's Army

Croatian National Guard
Croatian Police
Strength
550 Unknown
Casualties and losses
14 killed
30 wounded
425 captured
17 killed
5 civilians killed, 70 Croatian troops and civilians wounded

The siege of Bjelovar Barracks, also known by the codename Operation Bilogora (Croatian: Operacija Bilogora), was the blockade and capture of the Yugoslav People's Army (JNA) barracks and other facilities in and around the city of Bjelovar, a part of the JNA 32nd (Varaždin) Corps, during the Croatian War of Independence. A general blockade of the JNA facilities in Croatia was ordered on 14 September 1991, and it continued until 29 September when the JNA garrison was captured by Croatian forces. Its capture occurred one week after the bulk of the 32nd Corps surrendered. It was part of the Battle of the Barracks—an effort by Croatian armed forces to isolate JNA units based at barracks in Croatia, or capture the barracks to provide arms for Croatia's nascent army.

The fighting resulted in the capture of a substantial stock of weapons, including 78 tanks, 77 infantry fighting vehicles and 13 artillery pieces greater than 100-millimetre (3.9 in) caliber. The clash also caused considerable damage to the city of Bjelovar and its surroundings due to artillery fire and the explosion of an ammunition storage depot on the outskirts of the city. The fighting erupted despite a ceasefire that had been arranged days before, and caused JNA General Veljko Kadijević to withdraw from negotiations regarding the ceasefire's implementation. He subsequently issued an ultimatum to Croatian authorities, warning against the capture of further JNA facilities.