BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT SERB OFFENSIVE ON BRCKO AREA

ZOVIK, Apr 21 (Hina) - The present Bosnian Serb offensive on the free Brcko zone in north-eastern Bosnia is one of the severest so far, said the local Croatian Defence Council (HVO) command. The offensive started on 11 April. Only in the last seven days, Serb guerrillas have fired over 15,000 projectiles on the Boderiste area, a narrow stretch of land in the eastern part of the front, and have attempted at least twenty infantry advances. Only on 14 April, Serb infantry tried to break through the lines of defence surrounding Brodariste on eight occasions. Boderiste is a vital strategic point in the area which dominates both the Serb-occupied territory and the Brcko free zone. By seizing Boderiste, the Serbs would cut off humanitarian lines and HVO logistic supply lines, gain control of important high- voltage power lines, and aggravate the position of several HVO and Bosnian army brigades. The fertile Brcko area, which had a 20-percent Serb population before the war, is vital to Serb forces as they want to expand a corridor linking Serbia with occupied parts of Croatia and improve logistic support. The offensive is led personally by Bosnian Serb army chief-of- staff Gen. Manojlo Milovanovic. Senior Serb officials such as dyed- in-the-wool hardliner Biljana Plavsic (Karadzic's close collaborator) often visit the area to boost the morale of the troops. 211307 MET apr 94