The longest siege of a capital city in the history of modern warfare (1992–1996)
The siege of Sarajevo lasted 1,425 days, making it the longest siege of a capital city in modern warfare history.
Key Facts
- Duration
- 5 April 1992 – 29 February 1996 (1,425 days)
- Total killed
- 13,952 people
- Civilians killed
- 5,434 people
- Bombs dropped
- At least 500,000 bombs
- Pre-siege population
- Approximately 435,000 people
- Bosnian Serb siege force
- 13,000 initial troops soldiers
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following Bosnia and Herzegovina's declaration of independence after the 1992 referendum, Bosnian Serb forces sought to create the Republika Srpska by seizing Sarajevo. The Yugoslav People's Army and subsequently the Army of Republika Srpska encircled the city with 13,000 troops in the surrounding hills, cutting off the civilian population from essential supplies.
From April 5, 1992 to February 29, 1996, Bosnian Serb forces blockaded Sarajevo, bombarding the city with artillery, tanks, and small arms, dropping at least 500,000 bombs. The ARBiH, numbering around 70,000 troops but lacking heavy weapons, defended the urban core while civilians endured prolonged periods without gas, electricity, or water.
The siege ended following the Dayton Agreement in December 1995 and NATO's Operation Deliberate Force air campaign. Sarajevo's population fell to between 300,000 and 380,000 after the conflict. The ICTY subsequently convicted four Serb officials for crimes against humanity, with Radovan Karadžić and Ratko Mladić each sentenced to life imprisonment.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Radovan Karadžić, Ratko Mladić, Stanislav Galić, Dragomir Milošević.