▁populations . ▁These ▁areas ▁were ▁subsequently ▁named ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ser bian ▁K raj ina ▁( RS K ) ▁and ▁after ▁declaring ▁its ▁intention ▁to ▁integrate ▁with ▁Ser bia , ▁the ▁Government ▁of ▁Cro atia ▁declared ▁the ▁R SK ▁a ▁re bell ion . ▁By ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁the ▁conflict ▁had ▁es cal ated ▁and ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁er upt ed . ▁In ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁Cro atia ▁declared ▁its ▁independence ▁as ▁Y ug oslav ia ▁dis integr ated . ▁A ▁three - month ▁mor ator ium ▁followed , ▁after ▁which ▁the ▁decision ▁came ▁into ▁effect ▁on ▁ 8 ▁October . ▁The ▁R SK ▁then ▁initi ated ▁a ▁campaign ▁of ▁eth nic ▁cle ans ing ▁against ▁Cro at ▁civ ili ans , ▁exp elling ▁most ▁non - Ser bs ▁by ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 3 . ▁By ▁November ▁ 1 9 9 3 , ▁fewer ▁than ▁ 4 0 0 ▁eth nic ▁Cro ats ▁remained ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁Nations ▁( UN ) ▁protected ▁area ▁known ▁as ▁S ector ▁South , ▁and ▁a ▁further ▁ 1 , 5 0 0 ▁– ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁remained ▁in ▁S ector ▁North . ▁ ▁As ▁the ▁Y ug oslav ▁People ' s ▁Army ▁( J NA ) ▁increasing ly ▁supported ▁the ▁R SK , ▁and ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁Police ▁were ▁unable ▁to ▁co pe ▁with ▁the ▁situation , ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁National ▁Guard ▁( Z NG ) ▁was