First Congo War According to some reports, France and Yugoslavia supported Mobutu's government during the First Congo War. Namely, Yugoslavia agreed to deliver three J-21 and a single G-2 aircraft, as well as four MiG-21PFMs, while three Mi-24s were purchased from Ukraine. All these aircraft were based at Gbadolite and flown mainly by Serbian mercenaries. With few exceptions it remains unknown exactly what happened with each of these aircraft and how they were used after their arrival in Zaire, in late 1996-1997. In the case of Mi-24s it is known that one hit a power line and crashed on 27 March 1997, killing the three crewmen and four passengers. The fate of at least one J-21 Jastreb was not much better: one of the Serbian pilots, Ratko Turcinovic, was killed while flying an ultra-low-level pass over Gbadolite, clipping a lamp post with his wing. The wreckage of his aircraft fell directly into a column of young soldiers on a parade, killing dozens. The accident is reported as being attributed to Turcinovic's alcohol dependency. Soon after the accident, the Serbs were expelled from the DRC and the Jastrebs were abandoned along with the Galebs. MiG-21s and Mi-24s, which were awaiting assembly by Russian or Ukrainian technicians at Gbadolite, were also abandoned and can still be seen on the ramp at Gbadolite (2013). Bosnia and Herzegovina Six J-21 Jastreb of the Republika Srpska Air Force were engaged by USAF F-16's during Operation Deny Flight. In what would become known as the Banja Luka incident, the Jastreb were engaged after violating the NATO-enforced no-fly-zone. The USAF claimed 4 J-21's as being shot down by F-16's, while the Serbs claimed 5 Jastrebs as lost. The discrepancy likely stems from a damaged Jastreb crashing near the airfield after the F-16's had departed.
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