SECTION
II "WHAT
WENT RIGHT AT MAGLAJ?"
"WHAT WENT RIGHT AT MAGLAJ?"
In contrast to what happened at Lukavica, consider a separate event that occurred several weeks later near the village of Maglaj.
| An
Inter-Entity Boundary Line crossing by the Muslims from Maglaj to the village
of Rijecca in the Doboj municipality was coordinated through the mayors of
Maglaj and Doboj. The purpose of the crossing was to visit a cemetery. The
visit was agreed to by the chief of police who guaranteed the safety of the
Muslims. Given this information, the TFE staff developed a course of action
to ensure the coordinated effort of the Task Force to minimize the possibility
of a confrontation between the Serbs and Muslims. Checkpoints were established
by elements of a TFE Brigade along the route to ensure that weapons were not
brought into the zone of separation. Helicopters and a quick reaction force
were postured to respond, if necessary. The IPTF, the Bosniac police, and the
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees escorted the Muslim group of
approximately 50 personnel to the Inter-Entity Boundary Line. A TFE unit and
the IPTF monitored the movement and both provided situation reports to the
TFE command post. At the Inter-Entity Boundary Line, the Muslim group was handed
over to the Serb police who escorted them into the cemetery. The IPTF and United
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees continued to move with the group. A
group of 10-15 Serbs was at the graveyard (however, the initial report was
50 Serbs; the number was later confirmed to be 10-15 personnel by observers
from a Task Force Eagle helicopter). Four of the Serbs became hostile, because journalists, who accompanied the group, were taking pictures. Allegedly, an agreement had been made that filming of the event would not be allowed. However, the IPTF, United Nations high Commissioner for Refugees, and the journalists were unaware of the agreement, if indeed one had been made. Fighting broke out and one Serb left and came back with a pistol. He fired two shots in the air. The Serb police subdued the individual, and the gun was confiscated. The shooting incident was reported by the IPTF to the TFE tactical operations center. The TFE Brigade Quick Reaction Force (QRF), along with the military police, was alerted and moved to a position two kilometers North of the site. A Tactical Psychological Operation Team was also notified and moved to link up with the quick reaction force. After a short weather delay, an OH58C helicopter, with observer, flew to the site. The TFE QRF and a combat camera crew was put on a 30-minute alert. The Muslim visit resumed; however, the same Serb who fired the shots started throwing rocks and tension, again, increased. The Muslims then decided to suspend the visit and the Serb police escorted the group back to the Inter-Entity Boundary Line. The Serb police chief informed a member of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees that charges would be brought against the hostile men. |
"What went right at Maglaj?"
TTP:
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Section
I: The Operational Environment
Section
III: Brigade and Battalion Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures
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NEWSLETTER
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