Pro-Government Militias
Mujahidin Unit (Bosnia-Herzegovina)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 396 |
| Country: | Bosnia-Herzegovina |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 1992 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | Foreign Mujahidin arrived in Bosnia in the second half of 1992. On August 13, 1993, the Bosnian government officially organised them into the army detachment known as El Mudžahid (Wikipedia). However, the group or a group with the same name and similar characteristics, continued to be staffed by volunteers and mercenaries and was accountable only to the 3rd corps of the Bosnian Army. |
| Date dissolved: | Jan. 19, 1996 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The foreign Mujahidin had to leave the region under the terms of the 1995 Dayton Agreement, but many stayed (1995). By January 19, 1996, there were still at least 100 Mujahidin, though they were expected to leave by that date’s deadline. |
| Termination Type(s): | government defects; integrated into regular forces |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution); military (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | |
| Training and Equipment: | unclear |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | yes |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | military |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | religious; mercenary; foreign nationals |
| Primary Membership: | religious |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Central Bosnia |
| Force Strength: | [300, 6000] |
| Target(s): | civilians; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; international peacekeeping force |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; intimidation of ethnic/religious groups |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | Croats (Bosnia and Herzegovina); Serbs (Bosnia and Herzegovina) |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | given |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The Mujahidin (alternative spellings: mujahideen or mujahedin) are also known by their Bosnian name “Bosanski mudžahidi” or “El Mudžahid”. They were mainly foreign Muslim volunteers who fought on the Bosnian side during the Bosnian war 1992-95. The term Mujahidin refers to the foreign fighters, but also to local Muslims who joined their units. (Wikipedia) |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The Mujahidin supported Bosnian Muslims to defend themselves against Serb and Croat forces. Their contribution to the Bosnian forces in the war is disputed. While some say that the Bosnian Muslims would not have survived without Mujahidin help, others regard that they made little difference and had a rather symbolical value by showing the support of the Muslim world to Bosnia (Wikipedia). |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | Initially, Mujahidin were supposed to help Bosnian Muslims defend themselves from Serbs and Croats, and helped them by distributing humanitarian goods. The ICTY did not convict any Mujahidin despite of Serb and Croat allegation, which are regarded as active propaganda. Still, it is considered, that the Mujahidin took part in war crimes, but only a few Bosnian Army officers were indicted because of their command responsibility over the Mujahidin (Wikipedia). A news source suggests that the Mujahidin killed and tortured captured enemy soldiers and unarmed civilians. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing; torture |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | Members came to Bosnia and Herzegovina in order to fight for Islam and on behalf of Muslims. Some initially went as humanitarian workers. The Mujahidin recruited local young men by offering military training and equipment (Wikipedia). |
| PGM Members Killed? | rarely |
PGM Size
| Size: | Estimations on PGM size vary widely. According to Wikipedia, there were initially around 300, and membership rose up to 6,000 fighters by 1995. News sources estimate that in early 1993 there was an increase in membership, that there were around 400-600 in 1994, and that in total during the war around 2,000 Bosnians received training from the Mujahidin. In January 1996, immediately before demobilization, a news source estimates that around 100 Mujahidins were still located in northwest Bosnia. |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The Mujahidin are equipped with AK-47, PKM, surplus Eastern Bloc and civilian weapons such as hunting rifles and shotguns. Initially they were supplied by the regular Bosnian army (Wikipedia). A news source says that Mujahidin bought weapons and equipment with dollars upon arrival in the region. Mujahidins provided military training to Bosnians. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | By August 13, 1993, the Bosnian Army formed the unit El Mudžahid from the foreign mujahidin fighters, and thereby aimed to impose control over them. Initially, the group was attached to and supplied by the Bosnian army, but often operated as independent special unit. They remained dependent on army supplies and directions during combat. The ICTY found that the way to control the mujahidins was to attack them as if they were an enemy force (Wikipedia). News sources disagree on who the commander was. Allegations include the leader to be a British mercenary from Yorkshire, a red-bearded Saudi, a Libyan, a new “emir” or Sakid Mahmuljin, then commander of the 3rd Corps. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.