BOSNIA: NATO AIRSTRIKES AGAINST BOSNIAN SERBS UPDATE

(31 Aug 1995) English/Nat

Wave after wave of NATO warplanes targetted Bosnian Serb positions on Wednesday, in retaliation for Monday's attack by Bosnian Serbs on a Sarajevo market in which 37 people died.

More than 60 planes took part in the air strikes, supported around Sarajevo by the Rapid Reaction Force which bombarded Serb positions with heavy artillery.

Much of the firepower NATO launched at the Bosnian Serbs on Wednesday came from planes on the USS Roosevelt - a United States aircraft carrier in the Adriatic.

The Roosevelt had been diverted from a scheduled port call in Greece. The air power on board is huge, with 14 F-14s and 36 FA-18 aircraft presenting a formidable threat.

As NATO's decision to launch attacks on the Bosnian Serbs got underway crewmen frantically loaded missiles and bombs aboard the warplanes.

Later, the planes unleashed bombs on Serb targets around Sarajevo in the biggest assault in the alliance's history.

As the NATO jets swooped their flares trailed behind to deflect heat seeking missiles.

Military officials claimed widespread success for the attacks.

The planes attempted to knock out Serb air defences and destroy military targets such as missile positions and weapons dumps.

Smoke rising from Mount Igman was reported to be the Serb's Zunovnica munitions factory.

In retaliation, the Serbs launched mortar attacks into Sarajevo, but the scale of the response was tiny compared to NATO's overwhelming firepower.

The air attacks were supported by French, British and Dutch troops from the Rapid Reaction Force positioned near Sarajevo.

They launched 600 shells at Bosnian Serb positions in the morning. By the afternoon they had begun the move to better positions from which to launch attacks.

UN spokesmen said the attacks were designed to send a stern message to the Serbs. They warned of move strikes to come.

SOUNDBITE:

"Shortly after 0200 local time, NATO and the rapid reaction force, which is part of UNPROFOR, attacked Bosnian Serb positions in Bosnia including heavy weapons around Sarajevo, utilizing the aircraft and artillery. The aim of the mission was to deter attacks against the designated U-N safe area as agreed by the United Nations and NATO following the London conference.

SUPER CAPTION: Alexander Ivanko, U-N Spokesman

SOUNDBITE:
"Air targets included air defence, radar and communication sites, ammunition depots and command posts throughout Bosnia. Artillery and mortar targets were heavy weapon targets around Sarajevo."

SUPER CAPTION: Chris Vernon, U-N Spokesman

On their fifth run, planes struck in late afternoon near the
Bosnian Serb headquarters in Pale, southeast of Sarajevo.

Residents took cover and air-raid sirens warned of the constant danger from above.

An army barracks was hit and military sources claimed a vital radar complex had been damaged. Bosnian Serbs claimed there had also been civilian casualties.

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