Info on International Volunteers in the Balkans

[Upfrontreporting]

I'm doing some research on international volunteers (some prefer the connotation mercenaries) who fought in the wars in Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and resently Kosovo.
This goes for international volunteers on any side of the conflict.

Links, pics, video clips are much appreciated as well as any other relevant info.

These people are in many peoples' eyes very controversial and this is just what i find interesting.
Be it finacial, religious, altruistic, lust for adventure or whatever I find their motives and history very interesting.

I hope some of you guys will be able to help.


regards.

[Seoulstriker]

oof, that's a tough research project to do. i get all of my photos from the internet, so you try google first.

[California Joe]

I would look through back issues of Soldier of Fortune magazine. I remember seeing lots of stories and pics of mercs in the Balkans. Not that I ever read it or anything looking for work guarding diamond mines or something...it was on the shelves at the supermarket next to the Maxim and FHM magazines. Was so.

[ßå$tĮТHÏ¿ð]

go on the internet in google and type in dyncorp
thats the guys right there that are "contracted" out to recruit "officers" to help make sure both sides follow the rules. :bash:

[Royal]

go on the internet in google and type in dyncorp
thats the guys right there that are "contracted" out to recruit "officers" to help make sure both sides follow the rules. :bash:

MPRI?

Falls about laughing uncontrollably.

[aktarian]

There were no foreigner fighters in Slovenia.

[Argyll]

There were plenty of Brits who fought against the Serbs for Croatia!
I remember seeing a programme that followed som Brits,there was this young guy 17 I think ,who said his mum will throw a fight when she see's the tape,as he told her he was away working at Euro Disney!!!.
The programme portrayed some of the Ex Squaddies as pretty stupid,some were no more than clerks and other REMF's,who were trying to pass off as Some kind of Spec Ops dude,most of them would never even pass a Recce cadre/COP selection!!

[Upfrontreporting]

Aktarian wrote:


There were no foreigner fighters in Slovenia.



And you base that on what?
I have read somewhere (my bad can't remember where) that a few volunteers that later fought in Croatia actually trickled in from Slovenia after the fighting had finnished there.

ROYAL, did you have any encounters with volunteers when you were in Bosnia? I understand that a fair amount of Brits served in both HVO and Armija BiH.


regards.

[aktarian]

And you base that on what?
I have read somewhere (my bad can't remember where) that a few volunteers that later fought in Croatia actually trickled in from Slovenia after the fighting had finnished there.


Short duration of war, low intensity of fighting, less polarisation than in alter conflicts and nobody who fought in war ever mentioned them.

That report could be that Slovenians fought in Croatia (which hapened) or that some Croat forces trained in Slovenia (which probablly happened).

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

I believe a few brits were on the Serbian side as well and more than a few Australians of Serbian decent one guy called Daniel ????? who was once an officer in the Australian Army was leading a Bosian Serb unit.

[Royal]

ROYAL, did you have any encounters with volunteers when you were in Bosnia? I understand that a fair amount of Brits served in both HVO and Armija BiH.

regards.

Yes, I had a couple of 'encounters'. To the best of my knowledge I've never come across (non-Yugoslav) foreigners in the HV, HVO, VJ, VRS or ARSK, although I have come across foreigners (both Arab and on one memorable occasion European) in the Armija...

There were certainly plenty in the UCK (and it's offshoots)...

[obd]

Or, instead of using the internet, where any 8 year old idiot can make a website about anything, try going to the library or bookstore. I have several great books on the Russian war in Afghanistan, Chechnya, etc etc etc.. I even have one book that is "ok" called "Mercenaries" that has a good section on Basnia, Croatia, etc and alot of good info and pics on the "internationals" who fought in the various units. Lots of Brits fought in Croatia against the "Chetniks" (Serb militia). I suggest you go to Barnes and Nobles bookstore and pick up a copy, plus lots of other good books on mercenaries in Bosnia!!! The internet isnt the most reliable source of information on that kind of subject. You are mostly going to find biased websites devoted to one side of the issue. A well researched book by a respected expert in the field with high level diplomatic involvement in the area would be a better choice perhaps.!!

[aktarian]

I believe a few brits were on the Serbian side as well and more than a few Australians of Serbian decent one guy called Daniel ????? who was once an officer in the Australian Army was leading a Bosian Serb unit.

Do you mean kapetan (captain) Dragan? He started his "career" in Croatia but later drop off media radar.

[Mr Gently Benevolent]

Hi aktarian, I am now not sure if this guy was on the Serb or Croat side I thought he was a Bosian Serb but you are giving me some doubts now.
The name Dragan is very familiar but I know nothing about him. :|

[kutter]

Try to get your hands on the on the April 1994 issue of Soldier of Fortune. Theres in article on American-Serb Zack Novkovic who decided to fight in the Balkans for (surprise, surprise) the Serbs.

[Henk]

Try this,
http://members.home.nl/platoon118/

________________________
The best weapon is the mind.

[Henk]

Here's the link,
http://www.cfiva.org/cfiva/home/index.cfm
Good info and pics and links.

________________________
The best weapon is the mind.