Battle of Sovići and Doljani

Battle of Sovići and Doljani
Part of Croat–Bosniak War within the Bosnian War

Church in Sovići
Date1517 April 1993
(2 days)
Location
Result

Croatian victory

Territorial
changes
Sovići and Doljani are captured by HVO
Belligerents
Herzeg-Bosnia
Croatia
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commanders and leaders
Mladen Naletilić Tuta Unknown
Units involved
Croatian Army
Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Casualties and losses
Unknown 75 captured soldiers
400 captured civilians

The Battle of Sovići and Doljani was an attack by the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) on the villages of Sovići and Doljani, which were under the control of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH). After the HVO captured these villages, it committed a massacre against the Bosniak population.

Battle

Croatian Army (HV) and Croatian Defence Council (HVO) forces attacked the villages of Doljani and Sovići on the morning of 15 April 1993, about 50 kilometres north of Mostar. Artillery destroyed the upper part of Sovići. The Bosnian Army returned fire, but without any success. At around 5 p.m. on 17 April, the ARBiH commander in Sovići surrendered, together with approximately 70 to 75 soldiers. At least 400 Bosniak civilians were detained, and the advance of the Croatian Defence Council toward Jablanica was halted after a ceasefire agreement was reached.[1][2]

Aftermath

After the Croatian Defence Council captured the villages, it committed a massacre of 18 Bosniak detainees.[3]

References

  1. ^ "Zaboravljeni zločini HVO-a nad Bošnjacima jablaničkih sela Sovići i Doljani". www.oslobodjenje.ba (in Bosnian). 2021-05-09. Retrieved 2025-12-17.
  2. ^ "ICTY: Naletilić and Martinović verdicts" (PDF).
  3. ^ "Zaboravljeni zločini HVO-a nad Bošnjacima jablaničkih sela Sovići i Doljani". SAFF Portal (in Croatian). Retrieved 2025-12-18.