Bosnian Serbs launch major attack

CNN
July 14, 1995
12:00 PM
Zepa, Bosnia-Herzegovina

A "significant" Bosnian Serb military assault is underway against Bosnian defenders of the town of Zepa, according to a UNPROFOR spokesman in Zagreb. NATO jets are in the skies, but the spokesman said no request had been made yet to carry out airstrikes.

Also, the spokesman contradicted earlier reports that Bosnian Serbs had demanded that U.N peacekeepers disarm. According to UNPROFOR Zagreb, the Bosnian Serb ultimatum to disarm was directed at Bosnian soldiers.

A UN spokesman, who reported the fighters "flying around in circles," says he doesn't know who ordered the air presence, or why.

Nearly 80 Ukrainian peacekeepers are in Zepa. Rebel Serbs had ordered government troops in the enclave to surrender weapons by early this afternoon.

Rebel Serbs captured the Srebrenica safe area under similar circumstance earlier this week.

Meanwhile, France is giving its Western allies 48 hours to agree to an armed intervention in Bosnia. President Jacques Chirac hints of a pullout of French peacekeeping troops if no action is forthcoming. France has the largest contingent of peacekeepers in Bosnia.

Chirac expressed frustration today that no other countries have joined in France's call for military action to oust the Serbs from Srebrenica. In Chirac's words, "we are alone." He says contacts with allies have "not been positive."

Defense Minister Charles Millon told France Info Radio that France awaits a positive response from the allies "in the next 48 hours." He didn't say what France would do if the reaction isn't positive.

Chirac says it would be better to pull out than have UN forces stand by and do nothing.

Bosnian Serbs launch major attack

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