Serb Weapons Found Inside Sarajevo Exclusion Zone

March 22, 1994

UNITED Nations peacekeepers spotted Bosnian Serb tanks and artillery hidden inside the weapons-exclusion zone around Sarajevo, UN military spokesman Simon McDowell said yesterday.

The arsenal, protected by mines, was found by Canadian troops of the UN Protection Force. The Canadians reported three T-54 or 55 tanks, one T-72 tank, three anti-aircraft guns, four 105-mm howitzers, and 18 mortars. Serb forces were preventing the UN forces from approaching the weapons, Commander McDowell said.

Under a NATO ultimatum, the Serbs were supposed to have withdrawn their weapons from the zone around Sarajevo or surrendered them to UN control by Feb. 21, or face possible airstrikes. Serbs have resisted UN attempts to remove six howitzers found earlier inside the zone.