1/10 #OnThisDay in 1992, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Croat leaders decided to found the Croatian Defence Council (HVO). The aim was to defend Croats and Muslims from Yugoslav/Serbian aggression.

2/10 Although Ravno, Posavina and Kupres (dominantly Croat regions) were under siege since October 1991 and March 1992, respectively. BiH Presidency proclaimed an immediate threat of war only on 6 April 1992 (bc the siege of Sarajevo). So, HVO was created on the same day.

3/10 Many HVO brigades and battalions were composed of more than 50% of ethnic Muslims, Muslim COs, etc. On 21 July 1992 Tudjman and Izetbegovic signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation between Croatia and BiH. They agreed on HVO and (Bosniak-led) Armija BiH joint commando.

4/10 However, Muslim leaders had never helped or accepted HVO as legal and legitimate (although it was legal and many ethnic Muslims did). First, Izetbegovic w/o consulting BiH Croat colleagues, on 6 August 1992 illegally decided to withdraw the decision on joint commando.

5/10 Second, while on 15 January 1993 BiH Croats accepted the Vance-Owen plan ideas to put 11 HVO brigades under Armija BiH commando in municipalities w/ Bosniak-Muslim majority (e.g. Sarajevo, Bihac, etc.), Muslims didn't for Armija BiH. They sought control over Croats (HVO).

6/10 Interesting, the Ministry of Defence of BiH accepted the deal on 16 January, but Izetbegovic annulled the decision on 19 January 1993. So, this is one of the main reasons why Armija BiH started the aggression against HVO which ethnically cleansed 150,000 Croats.

7/10 Armija BiH, supported by Al Qaeda and mujahideens from Middle East (see @IntelTweet book), tortured and killed hundreds of Croats and HVO soldiers.

8/10 In Sarajevo, a HVO brigade had 2,200 soldiers (75% Croats, 12% Muslims, 8% Serbs and 5% others), but Croat COs and members were brutally tortured (e.g. to eat rosaries, burn Croat symbols, etc.) so Croats had to leave the city. Sarajevo doesn't allow a memorial for HVO.

9/10 Nevertheless, BiH Croats accepted ALL international peace plans during the war, whereas Izetbegovic as Bosniak-Muslim leader did not, or he unilaterally annulled the plans (Tudjman-Izetbegovic, Cutileiro, Vance-Owen and Owen-Stoltenberg).

10/10 Finally, HVO had an important role in the liberation of occupied parts of BiH and Croatia in 1992, 1994 and 1995 (operations Jackal, Winter 94, Leap 1, Leap 2, Summer 95, Mistral, Southern Move, etc.) W/o HVO, Serbian/Yugoslav Army would have won the war in 1992.