U.N. convoys remained paralyzed throughout central Bosnia Monday as Bosnian Serbs continued to block routes to Sarajevo in retaliation for Thursday's NATO airstrike near the Bosnian capital, a U.N. spokesman said.
"We have had no progress in negotiating freedom of movement through Serb-held territory around Sarajevo, and as a result nine humanitarian aid convoys are stalled near Kiseljak, and it doesn't look like we will get any clearances in the near future," said U.N. spokesman Koos Sol.Bosnian Serb General Ratko Mladic Sunday accused the United Nations of taking sides in the Bosnian war by calling for Thursday's airstrike, which destroyed a Bosnian Serb T-55 tank in violation of the 12.5 mile (20 km) heavy weapons exclusion zone around Sar-a-jevo.
The route blocked near Kiseljak, some 12 miles (20 km) west of the capital, is one of the most vital links between the capital and U.N. troop barracks and warehouses in central Bosnia.
Nicknamed "Sierra One," the route traverses through Bosnian Serb-held territory directly west of Sarajevo. All prior permits to use this road have been withdrawn by the Bosnian Serb military command in its stronghold of Pale, 12 miles (20 km) northeast of Sar-a-jevo.
U.N. officials must now re-apply for permission to pass from Muslim-Croat federation territory into Bosnian Serb-held territory and then back to Sarajevo.
Civilian traffic into Sarajevo over Mount Igman, southwest of the capital, has not been any easier since Thursday's airstrikes. Cars, buses and trucks laden with food and passengers must wait until dusk at Muslim-led Bosnian army checkpoints on the mountain.
Without headlights and as quietly as possible, the vehicles caravan down the mountain under the cover of darkness to avoid contact with Bosnian Serb guns.
Even armored U.N. and press vehicles do not dare pass during daylight hours because Bosnian Serbs use deadly armour-piercing antiaircraft guns to target vehicles on Mount Igman.