33 years ago, the JNA attack on the Presidency and Assembly of BiH was thwarted

(Patria) - Members of the former JNA and Bosnian Serb paramilitary forces attempted on May 2, 1992, to enter Sarajevo from the surrounding hills and seize the BiH Presidency building in Skenderija, as well as other important facilities in the city center, such as the Assembly and the Centar Municipality, and eliminate the leadership of the Republic of BiH.

Citizens of Sarajevo, organized into the Territorial Defense of BiH, along with the Special Unit of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, opposed them around the former JNA House, the National Theatre, Skenderija, and Vrbanja Bridge.

Decisive battles took place between 10 AM and 3 PM, with automatic weapons fire and shelling. The city was left without electricity, water, and food, and the image that circled the world was also of burning trams.

Around 1 PM, armored vehicles and tanks moved towards the Presidency and City Assembly buildings. They were opposed by brave, but inexperienced and very poorly armed defenders - members of the Patriotic League, Vikić's special forces, the reserve police force, as well as the newly formed Territorial Defense.

On the same day, the main post office building in Sarajevo was set on fire, which burned down completely, leaving the city without telephone connections.

The drama continued with the arrest of the then-President of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija Izetbegović, carried out by JNA units, led by General Vojislav Đurđevac.

Izetbegović was arrested at the Sarajevo airport, which was captured by the former JNA, while returning from negotiations in Lisbon. He was then taken to Lukavica, from where negotiations were conducted via Sarajevo Television.

Izetbegović was exchanged on May 3 in Dobrovoljačka Street, when, according to the commander of the 2nd Military District, JNA General Milutin Kukanjac, six people were killed.