Bosnians remove minister to get US arms
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sarajevo (Reuter) - Kresimir Zubak, the President of Bosnia's Muslim-Croat Federation, has finally agreed to replacement of the federation's deputy defence minister, clearing the way for a massive shipment of US arms to the former Yugoslav republic, a US official said yesterday.
"Zubak informed the United States that he will sign the official order replacing deputy minister Hasan Cengic effective on Wednesday," said a State Department official speaking in Sarajevo.
The United States earlier refused to unload $100m worth of military equipment bound for the federation army unless and until Mr Cengic, a Muslim, was removed from office because of his close ties with Iran.
The American Condor transport ship has been idling in the Adriatic Ocean for weeks, laden with tanks, helicopters, assault rifles, machine- guns, ammunition, tactical radios and other military equipment. A US special envoy James Pardew said the material could begin off-loading in the Croatian port of Ploce today, now the Cengic impasse has been resolved.
The federation's ethnic Croat defence minister resigned on Monday, after Cengic's allies in the Bosnian Muslim SDA party made it clear that they would only let him go if his Bosnian Croat counterpart resigned at the same time.
The game of threats and blackmail underlined the tension and suspicion bedevilling relations between the two ethnic communities in the federation, which was cobbled together largely under external, US pressure, in order to act as a counterweight to the well-armed, virtually independent Bosnian Serb entity.
n Sarajevo (AP) - A Bosnian Serb man damaged his home by accident when he tried to fire a grenade at his wife, UN officials said yesterday. The incident in the northwestern town of Bijeljina was the climax of a domestic dispute that spilled out onto the street.
"The woman tried to flee the house but the husband followed her with a bazooka," said U.N. spokesman Alexander Ivanko. "He fired the bazooka at his wife, missed, and hit his house, causing serious damage." The man, Pero Toljic, is being held by police.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments