the fighting in posavina began on 3 march 1992, after the serbian democratic party (sds) declared a serb municipality in bosanski brod, trying to take control away from bosniaks and croats. serbian territorial defense forces set up barricades in the town and tried to seize the strategically important bridge linking the town with croatia, prompting the local croats and muslims to form a joint headquarters, and to request assistance from the croatian army, based just across the border in slavonski brod. according to a local report, 200 shells fell on bosanski brod on the first day of the serb attack. neither side managed to prevail, and the yugoslav people's army (jna) sent its 327th motorized brigade to the city. following a ceasefire of several weeks the jna and serb militias once again attacked the town, launching a heavy artillery bombardment and sniper fire, and looting took place in the croat quarter of the town.