Operation Spider

Operation Spider
Part of the Bosnian War and Inter-Bosnian Muslim War
Western Bosnia is the light green canton in the middle
Date 16 November – 17 December 1994 Location Velika Kladuša, Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia 45°11′N 15°48′E / 45.183°N 15.800°E / 45.183; 15.800 Result VRS and NOZB victory The APZB is re-established[1][2][3] NOZB takes back Velika Kladuša and around 20 villages
Belligerents
Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia Republika Srpska  Republic of Serbian Krajina	Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Commanders and leaders
Franko Simatović "Frenki"[4][2][3] Jovan "Jovica" Stanišić[2][3] Željko Ražnatović	Atif Dudaković Izet Nanić Jasmin Kulenović
Units involved
National Defence of the APZB Army of Republika Srpska 1st Krajina Corps Red Berets[2][3] Arkan Tigers[2][3] Scorpions[2][3] Army of Serbian Krajina 15 Lika Corps 21 Kordun Corps 39 Banija Corps	Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ARBiH 5th Corps
Strength
5,000 / 1,500	8,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy

Operation Spider (Serbo-Croatian: Operacija Pauk, Операција Паук) were a series of military actions in northwestern Bosnia that began in November 1994 and continued until December 1994.^[2][3] It was a combined effort of Republika Srpska and the Republic of Serb Krajina to recover the territory of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (APZB), which was a key ally of the Serbs. Franko Simatović^[2][4][3] and Jovica Stanišić^[2][3] commanded the offensive. The Bosnian central government had previously overrun and seized the territory. The offensive ended in a Serb victory and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia remained in existence until the fall of its key ally, the Republic of Serbian Krajina, and the subsequent end of the war.