SARAJEVO, Jan 20 (Hina) - The withdrawal of Croatian Defence Council (HVO), Bosnian army and Bosnian Serb army forces from separation zones in Bosnia-Herzegovina had been completed, IFOR commanders in Bosnia said, adding the task of
minesweeping was yet to be carried out.
SARAJEVO, Jan 20 (Hina) - The withdrawal of Croatian Defence
Council (HVO), Bosnian army and Bosnian Serb army forces from
separation zones in Bosnia-Herzegovina had been completed, IFOR
commanders in Bosnia said, adding the task of minesweeping was yet
to be carried out. #L#
All sides had almost completely observed the Jan 19 deadline,
chief commander of the international Implementation Force (IFOR),
Admiral Leighton Smith, told a press conference in Sarajevo last
night. All sides had withdrawn two kilometers from the fronts, full
freedom of movement for NATO forces and humanitarian organisations
had been established and several hundred of planes had either taken
off or landed at Sarajevo, Tuzla and Mostar airports.
Commander of IFOR ground forces, General Michael Walker
yesterday met with military commanders of the Bosnian parties who
provided him with data on the withdrawal of their forces. The data
were being checked, Gen Walker said, adding it could already be
confirmed that there were no more armed units in separation zones.
There were still 35 pieces of heavy weaponry in those zones, which
had not been removed out of technical reasons. It was expected that
they would be removed soon, Gen Walker said. Minesweeping process
would be continued in the coming period, Walker said, adding the
minefields were now well marked.
From now on, only police forces would be present in separation
zones, Admiral Smith said, adding their number would be limited.
The policemen would be carrying only guns.
Smith also confirmed that his soldiers would help
organisations which want to investigate mass graves but they would
not safeguard those places. He added he had issued an order to
General Michael Ryan, who is heading NATO airforce in Bosnia, to
organise continual air patrol over the sites with mass graves.
The chief commander of IFOR warned that all three sides in
Bosnia had failed to fulfill the part of the peace agreement
concerning the release of prisoners of war. According to ICRC data,
the Bosnian government still had 318 prisoners, Bosnian Serbs had
151, while the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) had 177 prisoners.
Admiral Smith called on all sides to proceed with the release of
prisoners as soon as possible and announced that IFOR members would
give full support to the ICRC in the operation.
(hina) rm
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