The following is a list of massacres that occurred during the Bosnian War.
Name | Date | Location | Perpetrators | Victims | Deaths | Description |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sijekovac massacre | 26 March 1992 | Sijekovac, near Bosanski Brod | ARBiH, HVO | Serbs | 20[1]–47[2]–59[3] | Bosniak and Croat military units clashed with Bosnian Serb soldiers and murdered civilians. Republika Srpska reported 47 killed, but 59 bodies were later found, including 18 children, all ethnic Serbs.[3] Helsinki Watch reported that 20 were killed in March 1992, while other bodies were killed later in the war. Helsinki Watch could not verify civilian casualties in Sijekovac because the killings occurred during military warfare between the warring sides. The claims of murdered civilians in the case of Sijekovac come from the post-war Bosnian Serb authorities. |
Sanski Most ethnic cleansing | 1992–1995 | Sanski Most | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 927[4] | Around 842 Bosniak and 85 Croat civilians were killed by the VRS and Arkan's Tigers.[4] |
Doboj ethnic cleansing (1992) | April – October 1992 | Doboj municipality | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 408[5] | 322 Bosniak and 86 Croat civilians killed by Bosnian Serb forces. |
Doboj shelling | 1992–1994 | Doboj | ARBiH | Serbs | 99 | ARBiH shells Doboj in 1992 and 1994, and kills 99 Bosnian Serb civilians, and 399 seriously wounded.[6][7][8][9][10] |
Bosanski Šamac ethnic cleansing | April–November 1992 | Bosanski Šamac municipality | VRS, JNA | Bosniaks, Croats | 126[5] | Persecution and killings of Bosniaks and Croats committed by JNA and Bosnian Serb forces in the area of Bosanski Šamac.[11][12] |
Bijeljina massacre | 1–2 April 1992 | Bijeljina | VRS, JNA | Bosniaks | 48–78 non-Serbs, mostly Bosniaks | Perpetrated by Arkan's Tigers, under the command of the Serb-controlled JNA[13] |
Kazani pit massacres | April 1992–October 1993 | Sarajevo | ARBiH | Serbs | 150–200[14][15][16] predominantly Serb civilians | During the Siege of Sarajevo, the forces of Mušan Topalović (nickname Caco), commander of the 10th Mountain Brigade in the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, engage in a campaign of mass murder primarily targeting Sarajevo Serbs living in Bosniak-held areas. |
Foča ethnic cleansing | 7 April 1992–January 1994 | Foča | VRS | Bosniaks | 2,704 | Serb military, police and paramilitary forces kill Bosniak civilians. In a 1997 judgement against Novislav Đajić, the Bavarian Appeals Chamber ruled that the killings in which he was involved in June 1992 were acts of genocide.[17] |
Brčko bridge massacre | 30 April 1992 | Brčko | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | c.100[18] | Civilians killed whilst crossing the bridge over the Sava river, from Gunja, Croatia, into Brčko. The bridge was deliberately blown up, whilst civilians were crossing, by unknown Bosnian Serb soldiers. The victims were said to be of various nationalities.[19] Some sources claim that the perpetrators may have been members of the White Eagles and Arkan's Tigers paramilitaries.[20] |
Brčko massacres | May–July 1992 | Brčko | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 500 | Mass-killings and persecution of Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats by Bosnian Serb forces in the Brčko area. Most victims were detained and killed in the Luka camp.[21] |
Vlasenica massacre | May–September 1992 | Vlasenica | VRS, JNA | Bosniaks | 279 | Bosnian Serb forces kill at least 279 Bosniaks after the takeover of Vlasenica.[22] |
Vidovice massacre | 2 May 1992 | Vidovice | VRS | Croats | 12 | Bosnian Serb forces killed 12 Croat civilians.[23] |
Laništa and Ulice massacre | 8 May 1992 | Laništa and Ulice, near Brčko | VRS | Croats | 32 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 32 Bosnian Croats.[24] |
Zaklopača massacre | 16 May 1992 | Zaklopača,near Milići | VRS | Bosniaks | 63 - 83 | Bosnian Serb forces kill Bosniaks.[25] |
Suha massacre | 10 May 1992 | Suha | VRS | Bosniaks | 38 | Bosnian Serbs forces attack and destroy the village of Suha, killing 38 unarmed Bosniak residents.[26] |
Nova Kasaba massacre | 17 May 1992 | Nova Kasaba | VRS | Bosniaks | 29 | Bosnian Serb forces killed 29 Bosniak men and boys.[27] |
Bradina massacre | 25–27 May 1992 | Bradina | ARBiH, HVO | Serbs | 48 | Bosniak and Croat forces kill 48 Serb civilians during an attack on the Serbian village of Bradina.[28] |
Ferhadija street massacre | 27 May 1992 | Sarajevo | VRS (uncomfirmed)[29] | Bosniaks, Croats | 26 | VRS mortar attack on Ferhadija street in Sarajevo killed 26 civilians who were waiting in line to buy bread, and wounded another 108 civilians.[30] |
Čemerno massacre | 10 June 1992 | Čemerno, Ilijaš | ARBiH | Serbs | 29–32 | ARBiH kill 21 captured VRS soldiers and 9 Serb civilians.[31][32][33] |
Prijedor ethnic cleansing | 1992–1995 | Prijedor | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 3,176, among them 102 children. | Bosnian Serb political and military campaign of ethnic cleansing in the Prijedor area, including massacres of civilians during offensives, and killings of prisoners in concentration camps and other detention facilities. 3,176 non-Serb civilians, mostly Bosniaks (but also Croats and others), were killed.[34] Among the victims were 102 children and 256 women. More than 30,000 non-Serbs were detained in at least one of the concentration camps Trnopolje, Omarska and Keraterm. The largest mass grave found in Northern Bosnia to date is that of Tomasica where at least 360 bodies of non-Serb civilian casualties were buried. |
Zvornik massacre | 1992–1995 | Zvornik | VRS | Bosniaks | 838 killed or missing[35] | Mass murder and violence committed against Bosniaks and other non-Serb civilians by Serb paramilitary groups.[35] |
Snagovo massacre | 29 April 1992 | Snagovo | VRS | Bosniaks | 36 | Serb forces capture and kill 36 Bosniak civilians who were hiding in the woods. The corpses were burned in an effort to conceal the crime.[36] |
Višegrad massacres | April–August 1992 | Višegrad | VRS, JNA | Bosniaks | 1000–3000 | JNA and Serb-led paramilitaries killed an unverified number of Bosniak civilians thought to be around 3000. Also the site of the Vilina Vlas rape camp. Currently the subject of attempts to cover up crimes committed during the war by the government of the Republika Srpska.[37] |
Crkvina massacre | 6 May 1992 | Crkvina, near Odžak | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 16 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 16 Bosniaks and Croats.[38] |
Tišina massacre | 7 May 1992 | Tišina, Novo Selo, Tursinovac, Gornji Hasić and Donji Hasić, near Šamac | VRS | Croats | 45 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 45 Bosnian Croats across the Šamac municipality.[39] |
Glogova massacre | 9 May 1992 | Glogova, Bratunac | VRS | Bosniaks | 64 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 64 Bosniak civilians.[40] |
Bosanska Jagodina massacre | 26 May 1992 | Bosanska Jagodina | VRS | Bosniaks | 17 | Perpetrated by Serb paramilitary White Eagles members. The victims were Bosniaks.[citation needed] |
Zijemlje massacre | June 1992 | Zijemlje, near Mostar | VRS | Bosniaks | c.100 | Bosnian Serb forces kill around 100 Bosniak civilians.[41][42] |
Bijeli Potok massacre | 1 June 1992 | Bijeli Potok | VRS | Bosniaks | 675 | Serb forces killed 675 Bosnian Muslim men and boys within a week at Bijeli Potok and hid their bodies in mass graves throughout the Drina Valley.[43] |
Uzborak massacre | 13 June 1992 | Uzborak landfill, Mostar | VRS, JNA | Bosniaks, Croats | 114 | JNA and Serb Paramilitary units kill 114 non-Serb civilians (85 Bosniaks and 29 Croats) at a landfill site near Mostar.[44][45] |
Ahatovići massacre | 14 June 1992 | Ahatovići | VRS | Bosniaks | 47 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 47 captured Bosniak soldiers.[46] |
Pionirska Street fire | 14 June 1992 | Višegrad | VRS | Bosniaks | 59 | Perpetrated by Serb paramilitary White Eagles members. The victims were Bosniak civilians.[47] |
Paklenik massacre | 15 June 1992 | Rogatica | VRS | Bosniaks | 48[48] | Perpetrated by VRS members.[49] |
Bikavac fire | 27 June 1992 | Bikavac near Višegrad | VRS | Bosniaks | 60 | Perpetrated by Serb paramilitary White Eagles members. The victims were Bosniak civilians.[47] |
Gornji Velešići massacre | 8 July 1992 | Gornji Velešići, Sarajevo | ARBiH | Serbs | 6 | Unknown militants, most likely Bosniaks, massacred a Serb family.[50] |
Betornika convoy massacre | 7 July 1992 | near Manjača | VRS | Bosniaks | 26 | 26 Bosniak prisoners, travelling from Betonirka (Sanski Most) to the Manjača camp, were killed by Bosnian Serb forces. The prisoners either suffocated because of the conditions during the transport or were executed when the sick and faint prisoners were turned away by the commander of the camp.[51] |
Biljani massacre | 10 July 1992 | Biljani, near Ključ | VRS | Bosniaks | 150 | Bosniak civilians killed by Bosnian Serb forces.[52] |
Zalužje massacre | 12 July 1992 | Zalužje (Bratunac) | ARBiH | Serbs | 69 | 69 surrendered VRS soldiers and Serb civilians, killed by Bosniak soldiers of Naser Orić.[53] |
Musala massacre | 15 July 1992 | Musala, "Mladost" hall, near Konjic | ARBiH | Serbs | 13 | 13 Serb civilians, concentration camp prisoners, killed by Bosniak soldiers.[citation needed] |
Gornji Svilaj massacre | 16 July 1992 | Gornji Svilaj, near Odžak | VRS | Croats | 7 | Bosnian Serbs killed 7 elderly Bosnian Croat civilians in a church.[54] |
Barimo massacre | 2 August 1992 | Barimo | VRS | Bosniaks | 26 | Serb paramilitary kill 26 Bosniaks.[citation needed] |
Odžak massacre | 7 August 1992 | Odžak municipality | VRS | Croats | 78 | Bosnian Serb forces killed 78 Croat civilians and HVO prisoners in Odžak and surrounding areas in the Odžak municipality.[55] |
Grebnica massacre | 19 August 1992 | Grebnica, near Šamac | VRS | Croats | 11 | Bosnian Serb forces kill 11 Bosnian Croats captured in Šamac.[54] |
Korićani Cliffs massacre | 21 August 1992 | Mount Vlašić | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 200+ | Bosnian Serb police units kill more than 200 Bosniaks, Croats and other non-Serb civilians.[citation needed] |
Kukavice massacre | 27 August 1992 | Kukavice, near Rogatica | ARBiH | Serbs | 21 | Bosniak forces kill 21 Bosnian Serbs.[56] |
Mičivode massacre | 20 September 1992 | Mičivode, near Sokolac | VRS | Bosniaks | 42 | 42 Bosniak civilians were killed by Bosnian Serb forces.[57] |
Novoseoci massacre | 22 September 1992 | Novoseoci, near Sokolac | VRS | Bosniaks | 45 | 45 Bosniak civilians were killed by Bosnian Serb forces.[58] |
Serdari massacre | 17 September 1992 | Kotor Varoš | ARBiH | Serbs | 16 | 16 Serb civilians killed in the village of Serdari by ArBiH members [59] |
Sjeverin massacre | 22 October 1992 | Višegrad | VRS | Bosniaks | 16 | 16 Bosniak citizens of Serbia from the village of Sjeverin abducted from a Serbian bus in the village of Mioče, on Bosnian territory. The abductees were taken to the Vilina Vlas hotel in Višegrad where they were tortured before being taken to the Drina River and executed.[60] |
Prozor ethnic cleansing | 1992–1994 | Prozor | HVO | Bosniaks | 254 | Joint criminal enterprise of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) and its political leadership in Prozor to ethnically cleanse the Bosniak population in Prozor.[citation needed] |
Grabovica massacre (1992) | November 1992 | Grabovica, near Kotor Varoš | VRS | Bosniaks | 150 | 150 Bosniak civilians killed by Bosnian Serb forces.[61] |
Bjelovac massacre | December 1992 | Bjelovac | ARBiH | Serbs | 109 | Serb civilians killed by ARBiH forces.[62] |
Gornja Jošanica massacre | 19 December 1992 | Foča | ARBiH | Serbs | 56 | 56 Serb civilians were killed during an attack by the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[63] |
Bugojno ethnic cleansing | 1993–1994 | Bugojno | ARBiH | Croats | 200 | Joint criminal enterprise of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) and its political leadership in Bugojno to ethnically cleanse the Croat population in Bugojno.[64] |
Kravica massacre (1993) | 7 January 1993 | Kravica | ARBiH | Serbs | 49 | Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) attacked Kravica on Orthodox Christmas, killing as many as 49 Bosnian Serb soldiers and civilians.[65] 80 others were injured and property was destroyed on a large scale. |
Duša massacre | 15 January 1993 | Duša near Gornji Vakuf | HVO | Bosniaks | 10 | Croatian Defence Council (HVO) artillery bombardment kills 10 Bosniak civilians.[66] |
Skelani massacre | 16 January 1993 | Skelani near Srebrenica | ARBiH | Serbs | 69 | Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) attacks village Skelani leaving 68 dead Serb civilians.[67] |
Kadića Strana massacre | 25 January 1993 | Kadića Strana | HVO | Bosniaks | 43 | Bosnian Croats kill 43 Bosniak civilians.[68] |
Štrpci massacre | 27 February 1993 | Priboj | VRS | Bosniaks | 20 | Massacre of 20 people (18 Bosniaks) taken from a Belgrade-Bar train at Štrpci station near Višegrad, on Bosnian territory.[69] |
Srebrenica shelling | 12 April 1993 | Srebrenica | VRS | Bosniaks | 56 | VRS shells Srebrenica, with 56 dead, including children, and 73 seriously wounded.[70] |
Trusina massacre | 16 April 1993 | Trusina | ARBiH | Croats | 22 | ARBiH kills 22 Bosnian Croats.[71] |
Ahmići massacre | 16 April 1993 | Ahmići | HVO | Bosniaks | 116 | Bosnian Croats kill 116 Bosniak civilians.[72] |
Sovići and Doljani massacres | 17 April 1993 | Doljani and Sovići | HVO | Bosniaks | 18 | Bosnian Croat forces kill a number of Bosniaks in the villages of Doljani and Sovići.[73] |
Stari Vitez explosion | 18 April 1993 | Vitez | HVO | Bosniaks | 4 | Croatian Defence Council sent a tanker filled with 3.5 tons of explosives in Stari Vitez, killing 4 Bosniak civilians and wounding over 50.[74][75] |
Zenica massacre | 19 April 1993 | Zenica | HVO | Bosniaks | 16 | Several grenades shot from HVO's positions located in Putićevo village killed 16 and injured over 50 civilians in the very center of the city.[citation needed] |
Miletići massacre | 24 April 1993 | Travnik | ARBiH | Croats | 4 | Bosnian Mujahideen kills 4 Croats.[76] |
Vranica massacre | 10 May 1993 | Vranica | HVO | Bosniaks | 13 | HVO forces killed 13 Bosniak POWs.[77] |
Dobrinja mortar attack | 1 June 1993 | Dobrinja, Sarajevo | VRS | Bosniaks | 13 | VRS mortar attack on a football pitch killed 13 civilians and wounded 133 civilians.[78] |
Tuzla rescue convoy | 4 June 1993 | Rakovići | HVO | Bosniaks | 11 | It was an attack by Croats on Bosniak aid convoy going to Tuzla, 11 Bosniak drivers were killed.[79] |
Bikoši massacre | 8 June 1993 | Bikoši, near Travnik | ARBiH | Croats | 36 | Bosnian mujahideen forces kill 36 Croats.[80] |
Čukle and Krpeljići massacre | 8 June 1993 | Čukle and Krpeljići near Travnik | ARBiH | Croats | 28 | ARBiH forces kill 21 Croats in Čukle and another 7 Croats in Krpeljići.[81] |
Vitez massacre (1993) | 10 June 1993 | Vitez | ARBiH | Croats | 8 | ARBiH shelling of a playground in Vitez killed eight Croat children.[82] |
Kiseljak massacre | 12–16 June 1993 | Han Ploče, Tulica and Grahovici | HVO | Bosniaks | 78 | Bosnian Croat forces kill 78 Bosniaks in the villages of Han Ploče, Tulica and Grahovici.[citation needed] |
Kakanj massacre | 13 June 1993 | Kakanj | ARBiH | Croats | 22 | Croat civilians killed by ARBiH forces.[83] |
Busovača convoy massacre | 16 June 1993 | Busovača | ARBiH | Croats | 22 | ARBiH forces attacked a humanitarian aid convoy, killing 22 Croats, including 14 civilians.[84] |
Orašlje massacre | 13 July 1993 | Stolac | HVO | Bosniaks | 15 | Bosnian Croat forces kill 15 Bosniak civilians in Orašlje.[citation needed] |
Bivolje hill killings | 16 July 1993 | Čaplinja | HVO | Bosniaks | 12 | Bosnian Croat forces kill 12 Bosniak civilians.[85][86] |
Vrbanja massacre | 17–28 July 1993 | Vrbanja | HVO | Bosniaks | 45 | Bosnian Croat forces kill 45 Bosniak civilians in Vrbanja.[citation needed] |
Doljani killings | 28 July 1993 | Doljani | ARBiH | Croats | 39 | ARBiH forces killed 39 Croats in Doljani.[87] |
Crni vrh massacre | 31 July 1993 | Prozor | HVO | Bosniaks | 23 | Bosnian Croat forces used Bosniak civilians as human shield against ARBiH, 23 Bosniaks were killed on Crni Vrh.[citation needed] |
Mokronoge massacre | 10 August 1993 | Mokronoge, near Tomislavgrad | HVO | Bosniaks | 9 | Bosnian Croats kill 9 Bosniaks in Mokronoge.[88][89] |
Kiseljak killings | 16 August 1993 | Kiseljak | ARBiH | Croats | 15 | Croat civilians were killed by ARBiH forces.[90] |
Raštani massacre | 24 August 1993 | Raštani | HVO | Bosniaks | 31 | HVO kill 31 Bosniaks in Raštani on 24 August[citation needed] |
Grabovica massacre | 8 and 9 September 1993 | Grabovica | ARBiH | Croats | 13-33[91][92][93] | The ICTY Trial Chamber found that it has been established beyond reasonable doubt that 13 Croats had been killed by ARBiH forces.[94] Other sources cite a death toll of 33 killed.[95] |
Uzdol massacre | 14 September 1993 | Uzdol | ARBiH | Croats | 25[96]-30[97] | ARBiH forces killed at least 25 Croat civilians. |
Stupni Do massacre | 23 October 1993 | Stupni Do | HVO | Bosniaks | 37–44 | Croatian Defence Council (HVO) kills 37–44 Bosniak civilians.[98] |
Križančevo selo massacre | 22 December 1993 | Vitez | ARBiH | Croats | 14-74 | ARBiH kills Croats.[99][100] |
Buhine Kuće massacre | 9 January 1994 | near Vitez | ARBiH | Croats | 26 | ARBiH kills 26 Croats[101] |
Here massacre | 24 January 1994 | Here | HVO | Bosniaks | 36 | Croatian Defence Council (HVO) kills 36 Bosniaks.[citation needed] |
First Markale massacre | 5 February 1994 | Sarajevo | VRS | Bosniaks | 68 | VRS mortar attack on the Markale marketplace in Sarajevo killed 68 civilians and wounded 144 civilians.[102][103] |
Tuzla massacre | 25 May 1995 | Tuzla | VRS | Bosniaks | 71 | VRS shell the Kapija neighbourhood, killing 71 and wounding 240 civilians.[104][105][106][107][108][109][110] |
Srebrenica massacre | 11–22 July 1995 | Srebrenica | VRS | Bosniaks | 8,373 | The Preliminary List of People Missing or Killed in Srebrenica compiled by the Bosnian Federal Commission of Missing Persons contains 8,373 names.[111] While the overwhelming majority of them were men, some 500 were under 18,[112] and victims include several dozen women and girls.[113][114]
As of July 2011, 6,598 victims have been identified through DNA analysis of body parts recovered from mass graves[115] and 5,138 victims have been buried at the Memorial Centre of Potočari.[116] |
Bosanski Petrovac air attack | August 7, 1995 | Bosanski Petrovac | HVO | Serbs | 9 | Croat fighter-jets bomb Serb refugee column fleeing from Krajina.[117][118] |
Second Markale massacre | 28 August 1995 | Sarajevo | VRS | Bosniaks | 43 | A second VRS mortar attack on the Markale marketplace killed 43 civilians and wounded 75 civilians.[119] |
NATO bombing of Republika Srpska | 30 August — 20 September, 1995 | Republika Srpska | NATO | Serbs | 152 | Operation Deliberate Force was a sustained air campaign conducted by NATO, in concert with the UNPROFOR ground operations, to undermine the military capability of the Army of Republika Srpska, during the bombing 152 Serb civilians were killed[citation needed] |
Bravnice massacre | September 13, 1995 | Bravnice | HVO | Serbs | 32 | Having captured the city of Jajce, Croatian soldiers massacred 32 Serb refugees, including women and children.[120] |
Oborci massacre | 13 September 1995 | Oborci, near Donji Vakuf | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 28 | VRS forces massacre 24 Bosniaks and 4 Croats abducted from Mrkonjić Grad.[121] |
Trnova massacre | 20 September 1995 | Trnova | VRS | Bosniaks | 11 | Serbian Volunteer Guard paramilitaries killed 11 Bosniak civilians.[122] |
Sasina massacre | 21 September 1995 | Sasina | VRS | Bosniaks, Croats | 65 | Serbian Volunteer Guard paramilitaries killed 65 Bosniak and Croat civilians.[123] |
Mrkonjić Grad | October 1995 | Mrkonjić Grad | ARBiH, | Serbs | 181 | Having captured town, Croats and Bosniaks committed a number of crimes on the Serb population.[124][125][126] |
At least 48 civilians, most of whom were non-Serbs, had been killed by Serb paramilitaries during the Serb take-over of Bijeljina.
Sljivo also admitted that, as the escort to Topalovic, commander of the brigade, he killed about 200 Serb civilians and raped several dozens of women.
The Record also indicates that the applicant stated that (on unspecified dates) he had killed 200 citizens of Serb origin in the pit "Kazani" (near Boguscevac) and participated in the rapes of 40 Serb women.
The Federal Constitutional Court of Germany, in the Nikola Jorgic case, upheld the Judgement of the Düsseldorf Supreme Court, interpreting the intent to destroy the group "in part" as including the intention to destroy a group within a limited geographical area. In a Judgement against Novislav Djajic on 23 May 1997, the Bavarian Appeals Chamber similarly found that acts of genocide were committed in June 1992 though confined within the administrative district of Foca.
Serbian anger was stoked most recently by the broadcast and frequent rebroadcast of British television tape showing the bodies of some of the 29 Serb civilians, including 7 children, who were killed Wednesday in the Bosnian village of Cemerno. The televised segment included the testimony of a single survivor who said the attack had been carried out by Croats and Bosniaks.
Following their expulsion from Visegrad, the killing of approximately 48 civilians at a place called Paklenik near the village of Kalimanici, Sokolac municipality.
On 12 April, the situation in Srebrenica itself reached a new low, when two short intense artillery bombardments killed fifty- six people, including children, and seriously wounded seventy-three others