The fate of the reconnaissance platoon was not known to Croatian authorities for months, adding fuel to an already volatile atmosphere in the city of Bjelovar, where the ambushed unit was originally based.

This tension erupted a week later with the blockade and capture of the Yugoslav People's Army (Serbian: Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA) barracks in Bjelovar.

The Yugoslav People's Army (Serbian: Jugoslovenska Narodna Armija – JNA) confiscated Croatia's Territorial Defence (Croatian: Teritorijalna obrana – TO) weapons to minimize resistance.

[2] On 17 August, the tensions escalated into an open revolt of the Croatian Serbs,[3] centred on the predominantly Serb-populated areas of the Dalmatian hinterland around Knin (approximately 60 kilometres (37 miles) north-east of Split),[4] parts of the Lika, Kordun, Banovina and eastern Croatia.

[6] The request was denied and a bloodless skirmish between Serb insurgents and Croatian special police in March[7] prompted the JNA itself to ask the Federal Presidency to give it wartime authority and declare a state of emergency.

Under Ministry of Defence control and commanded by retired JNA General Martin Špegelj, the four guards brigades comprised approximately 8,000 troops.

[11] Following the first skirmish in Pakrac in March, a predominantly Serb-populated area east of the town, straddling the Pakrac–Bučje–Požega road, remained generally beyond the control of Croatian authorities.

[14] In early July, the insurrection spread to the entire area between the towns of Pakrac and Požega and north to the northern slopes of Papuk and Bilogora.

The objectives of the offensive were to capture the towns of Grubišno Polje, Daruvar, Pakrac and Lipik, and consolidate the territory of SAO Western Slavonia.

The offensive failed after the arrival of Croatian reinforcements from Zagreb and Bjelovar, but the line of control remained in close proximity to the four towns.

[16][17] Violence in western Slavonia flared up once more on 3–4 September, when Croatian Serb forces attacked the villages of Četekovac, Čojlug and Balinci south of Slatina, killing two policemen and 21 civilians.

The stalemate continued until the morning of 9 September, when Croatian Serb forces used explosives to demolish a portion of the house in which the reconnaissance platoon had sought cover.

[20] As the force which was sent to reinforce and extract the reconnaissance platoon took further casualties,[16] the total Croatian losses in the fighting and its immediate aftermath amounted to 20 killed.

[21] The fate of the reconnaissance platoon was not immediately known to Croatian authorities or relatives of the troops for months, adding fuel to an already volatile atmosphere in the city of Bjelovar, where the 105th Brigade was originally based.

[28] In September 1993, Croatian authorities placed a commemorative plaque at the site of the 1991 ambush and planned a wreath laying ceremony to mark the second anniversary of the event.