b - pop ulated ▁areas ▁of ▁the ▁Dal mat ian ▁hinter land ▁around ▁the ▁city ▁of ▁Kn in , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁parts ▁of ▁the ▁L ika , ▁K ord un , ▁and ▁Ban ov ina ▁regions , ▁and ▁settlement s ▁in ▁eastern ▁Cro atia ▁with ▁significant ▁Ser b ▁populations . ▁These ▁regions ▁became ▁the ▁newly ▁formed ▁SA O ▁K raj ina ▁( Ser b ▁Aut onom ous ▁O blast ). ▁The ▁announ cement ▁of ▁SA O ▁K raj ina ' s ▁intent ▁to ▁integrate ▁with ▁Ser bia ▁resulted ▁in ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁Government ▁declaring ▁the ▁ins urre ction ▁a ▁re bell ion . ▁▁ ▁By ▁March ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁the ▁conflict ▁had ▁es cal ated ▁into ▁the ▁Cro at ian ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence ▁and ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 9 1 , ▁with ▁the ▁Break up ▁of ▁Y ug oslav ia , ▁Cro atia ▁declared ▁its ▁independence . ▁The ▁declaration ▁came ▁into ▁effect ▁on ▁ 8 ▁October ▁after ▁a ▁three - month ▁mor ator ium . ▁The ▁SA O ▁K raj ina , ▁renamed ▁Republic ▁of ▁Ser bian ▁K raj ina ▁( RS K ) ▁on ▁ 1 9 ▁December , ▁then ▁initi ated ▁a ▁campaign ▁of ▁eth nic ▁cle ans ing ▁against ▁Cro at ian ▁civ ili ans . ▁ ▁Control ▁of ▁the ▁growing ▁t ensions ▁became ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁increasing ▁support ▁of ▁SA O ▁K raj ina ▁being ▁provided ▁by ▁the ▁Y ug oslav ▁People ' s ▁Army ▁( J NA ). ▁The