September 13, 1995 (?):
Peter Jennings reports on the offensive launched by the Bosnian government. With the help of Bosnian Croat forces, Bosnian government forces are advancing towards towns held by Bosnian Serb forces. In Moscow, a grenade was fired at the American embassy. Russian officials state that the attack was not connected with Russia's official anger at the continuing NATO air strikes in Bosnia.
September 14, 1995:
David Ensor reports on a major development in the Bosnian peace negotiations. An agreement was reached between the Bosnian government and the Bosnian Serb leadership, including General Ratko Mladic and Radovan Karadzic. Bosnian Serbs promised immediate cessation of hostilities and withdrawal of heavy weapons from around Sarajevo; NATO agreed to halt the bombing for 72 hours so that the Serbs could begin withdrawing; the Bosnian government agreed to stop any offensive actions and put its heavy weapons under UN control. U.S. officials say that NATO will resume the air strikes if the Serbs do not withdraw a substantial number of weapons. Footage included: a NATO bomber taking off, Bosnian Serb positions and weapons around Sarajevo, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke shaking hands and meeting in Belgrade with Serbia's President Slobodan Milosevic, Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic in camouflage, and Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic greeting his soldiers.
Tony Birtley reports on the mass flight of Bosnian Serb civilians to the Serb stronghold of Banja Luka. More that 40,000 Bosnian Serb civilians have fled areas taken over by Bosnian Muslim-Croat forces. As UN Spokesman Christopher Guinness points out, this population movement would eventually happen either way, as the West's plan for the division of Bosnia goes along ethnic lines. The Bosnian Serb army has lost 800 square miles to the Bosnian government offensive, leaving 61% in its control. The destruction of military targets by NATO air strikes has only emboldened the Bosnian Serb army. Bosnian Prime Minister Haris Silajdzic states that the government's offensive is justified because it is a response to Bosnian Serb aggression on Bosnian government territory. Footage included: Bosnian Serb refugees fleeing on tractors, Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat forces, damaged Bosnian Serb military facilities; and Bosnian television footage: Bosnian Muslim and Bosnian Croat forces carrying flags at night and shooting into the air (?).
September 15, 1995:
Garrick Utley reports on the Bosnian Serb army withdrawal from the Sarajevo area. Even though Bosnian Serbs lifted the siege from Sarajevo, two shoulder-launched missiles were fired at a NATO reconnaissance plane, near Gorazde. According to the peace agreement, the Bosnian Serb army is expected to withdraw all heavy weapons (some 300 of them) out of a 12 mile radius surrounding Sarajevo. President Clinton gave a warning to the Serbs, stating that NATO will resume air strikes if the Bosnian Serbs break the agreement. In Geneva, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke met with European representatives to find solutions to the Bosnian conflict. Russia has been openly angered by the NATO air strikes. The main obstacle to ending the war has been the division of land and political power. A brief statement is made by U.S. Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke. Footage includes numerous pictures of Bosnian Serbs, tanks, artillery and heavy weapons, and Holbrooke meeting with Russia's representatives.
Tony Birtley reports on the lifting of the siege over Sarajevo. The UN opened two roads leading to Sarajevo in the Serb-held territory, which have enabled trucks carrying food to enter the city. Since the shelling of Sarajevo halted, commercial trucks have been bringing food into Sarajevo. An unidentified Sarajevo woman states it is because of America that the siege has been lifted. Fuad Šisic, a Sarajevo doctor, states that the chances for peace are good as long as the shelling and shooting is discontinued. Hasana, a Sarajevo woman wounded in the marketplace massacre, states that she does not think that she will be able to accept peace, but it is good to try to protect future generations from all that her generation went through. Footage includes the landing of the first NATO cargo plane, a UN food convoy passing through a Bosnian Serb checkpoint, people in the streets of Sarajevo, a Sarajevo indoor market place, and a Sarajevo hospital.
John McWethy reports from the USS America on the readiness of U.S. bombers to respond to any Serb aggression. An incident where two shoulder-launched missiles were fired on Bosnian Serb territory on a NATO air patrol is mentioned. U.S. airplanes have been dropping practice bombs around their aircraft carrier and continue to draw up plans for more bombing missions in case Sarajevo is shelled again or Bosnian Serb radars are turned on. If the Bosnian Serbs do withdraw and stay away, limited air strikes will prove a successful tool of diplomacy. A brief treatment is made by Admiral Leighton Smith. Footage includes U.S. fighter planes on the USS America, U.S. planes dropping practice bombs in the sea, and U.S. planes taking off and landing on the carrier.
Peter Jennings briefly reports on U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke's efforts to convince the Bosnian government and Croat forces to discontinue their offensive in the Bosnian Serb territory. Footage includes U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Richard Holbrooke's meeting with Bosnian government and Bosnian Croat leaders.
September 20, 1995:
Peter Jennings briefly reports that the Bosnian Serb army has withdrawn enough weapons to satisfy the peace agreement provisions.
Mike Lee reports from Banja Luka. The Bosnian government and Bosnian Croat assault has resulted in many Bosnian Serb refugees fleeing the countryside towards Banja Luka in Northwest Bosnia. Serb officials have stated that the lined-up bodies shown in the report are those of civilians who were ambushed trying to flee the Bosnian government offensive. The Bosnian Serb refugees are now seeking shelter in Serb-held Banja Luka, which used to have a large Bosnian Muslim population. The flight of thousands of Bosnian Serb civilians from the countryside raises the danger that Serbia itself could become involved in the conflict. Footage of the following is available: teenagers in a dance club, the Bosnian Serb army firing shells, a village burning in the hills, Bosnian Serb civilian corpses, cars with numerous bullet holes, and Bosnian Serb refugees fleeing Bosnian government forces on horse-drawn carriages.
September 21, 1995:
Mike Lee reports on Bosnian Serb refugees passing through Omarska on their way to Banja Luka. There are 5,000 Bosnian Serb refugees in Omarska jostling for blankets and supplies. Many of the refugees, mostly farming families, are unaware that the town was once used as a torture center for Bosnian Muslims. Footage includes Bosnian Serb refugees receiving blankets in Omarska and fixing their vehicles, and Omarska detention camp prisoners.
Peter Jennings briefly reports on two U.S. pilots who were wounded while on a mission to find two missing French airmen, whose plane was shot down during one of the bombing raids over Bosnia.
September 28, 1995:
Peter Jennings reports that the Clinton administration's goal in Bosnia remains a multi-ethnic, multi-religious country. Sheila MacVicar reports on the town of Kljuc, and the village of Ramici, which is now held by Bosnian government forces. Kljuc used to be one of the towns where people of different religions and ethnicities lived together. There were 25,000 people living there before the war, but now most of the Serbs have fled since the Bosnian government army took over. The report describes the enormous fear among the Bosnian Serbs who fled Kljuc and Ramici. Interviewed is Mizra Sacik, a 15-year-old Muslim boy, who describes the fleeing of Bosnian Serbs. The destitution of the Ramici village, in the hills above Kljuc, documents the haste with which Bosnian Serbs left the area. Meals were left half-eaten and family treasures and photos were not packed. As the Bosnian government forces advanced to the area, alleged mass graves of Bosnian Muslims who were killed at the beginning of the war (1992) were found. Asim Egrlic, the mayor of Kljuc, states that there is strong evidence that all the 570 people on the missing list are buried in the mass grave found near Ramici. Local people claim to know of two other mass graves in the area. Footage includes houses abandoned by Bosnian Serbs, an alleged mass grave, the inside of an abandoned house in Ramici, and destroyed and burned houses.
October 4, 1995:
Peter Jennings reports on the continuous NATO air strikes, this time in self-defense after a missile radar locked on to the NATO aircraft. The UN reports that Croatian forces have committed atrocities against Serbian civilians in the Krajina region.
Sheila MacVicar reports from the Varivode village on the systematic murder of elderly Serb civilians in the Krajina region. Fourteen elderly Serbs stayed behind after the Croatian offensive, and nine of them were killed. Interviewed is Branka Kovic, a Serb woman, whose parents, both over 70 years, were gunned down on their porch by Croatian forces. UN officials describe such incidents as a systematic campaign to drive the few remaining Serbs out of Krajina. The UN has recorded 125 murders of Serb civilians, most of them over 60 years of age, in the two months since Croatian forces gained control over Krajina. In August the UN recorded what happened in Grubari, where houses were set on fire and residents were murdered. Outside of the village, the UN found a long line of Croatian police vehicles. A brief statement is made by UN Spokesman Alun Roberts. Croatian government officials promised Serbs who decided to stay that they would be safe. Footage of burning houses, Croatian police cars, numerous pools of blood, the building where the Croatian police force in Zadar is located, and Branka Kovic lighting candles on her parent's porch.