Operation Amanda was a United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) mission conducted by Danish peacekeeping troops, with the aim of recovering an observation post, S01, belonging to 9th mech inf coy Nordbat 2 near Gradačac, Bosnia and Herzegovina, on October 25, 1994.[1]
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A Danish IFOR Leopard 1 tank crushing a decommissioned Serbian recoilless gun in 1996 | |||||||
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The engagement
editThe outpost had been used as a temporary observation post (OPT) but Nordbat wanted to turn it into a permanent observation post. Following a series of sniper attacks by Bosnian Serb forces, the staff of Nordbat 2 decided it was time to "show the flag". A task force was put together with one mechanised infantry platoon from the Swedish 9th Mechanised Infantry Company and one tank platoon from the Danish tank company. One Swedish mechanised infantry platoon put on high alert status in order to provide recovery and rescue services. There were also units from the Jordanian Army with artillery localisation radar and medics with armoured ambulances standing by.
While en route to reoccupying the position, the Danish force, composed of three Leopard 1 tanks, was fired on by a T-55 Bosnian Serb tank.[2] After sustaining slight damage to one of the Leopards, the advancing peacekeeping tanks returned fire, destroying one recoilless rifle and putting the T-55 out of action.[3] The Leopards fired a total of twenty-one 105mm rounds.[1]
The outpost was eventually retaken by UNPROFOR. A statement was issued by the UN about the aftermath of the incident, confirming the fate of the Serb T-55:
The best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed.[3]
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ a b Hansen, Ole Kjeld (1997). "Operation Hooligan-bashing – Danish Tanks at War". Archived from the original on May 23, 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ "Yugoslav events chronology - October 25 entry". University of Texas at Arlington. 17 March 2000. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- ^ a b Patrick Moore (27 October 1994). "RFE/RL Daily Report". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
The UN stressed that "the best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed."
References
edit- "Yugoslav events chronology". University of Texas at Arlington. 17 March 2000. Archived from the original on 11 May 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
- "RFE/RL Daily Report". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 27 October 1994. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2015.
The UN stressed that "the best tank-killing weapon is another tank. In the end, air [support] was not needed."