Croatian Defence Council
The Croatian Defence Council (Croatian: Hrvatsko vijeće obrane, HVO) was the official military formation of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, an unrecognized state that existed in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1991 and 1996. The HVO was the main military force of the Croats of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
| Croatian Defence Council | |
|---|---|
| Hrvatsko vijeće obrane | |
| Leaders | Milivoj Petković Bruno Stojić Vladimir Šoljić Slobodan Praljak Ante Roso Tihomir Blaškić |
| Dates of operation | 1992–1996 |
| Allegiance | Herzeg-Bosnia |
| Headquarters | Mostar |
| Size | 50,000 (1995) |
| Allies | ARBiH HV |
| Opponents | VRS RSK |
| Battles and wars | Yugoslav Wars Bosnian War Croat–Bosniak War Operation Storm |
| Flag | |
In the initial stage of the Bosnian War, the HVO fought alongside the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) against the Army of Republika Srpska, but in the latter stage of the conflict clashed against its former ally, particularly in the Mostar area. The European Community Monitoring Mission estimated the strength of the HVO in the beginning of 1993 at 45,000–55,000. In July 1993, the Central Intelligence Agency estimated the HVO forces at 40,000 to 50,000 men.
HVO was incorporated into the Army of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (VFBiH) in December 1995 by following agreement made after signing the Dayton Accords. In December 2005 HVO was reorganized as 1st Infantry Guard Regiment of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after VFBiH and Army of Republika Srpska were united into a single armed force.