Srebrenica massacre

Quick Facts: Who was Srebrenica massacre?

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Srebrenica massacre

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The 1995 genocide of Bosniak men and boys in Srebrenica during the Bosnian War.

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Origins & Early Life

The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, was the July 1995 genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War. It was mainly perpetrated by units of the Bosnian Serb Army of Republika Srpska under Ratko Mladić, though the Serb paramilitary unit Scorpions also participated. In addition, 25,000 to 30,000 Bosniaks, mainly women and children, were abused and forcibly moved out of Srebrenica. The massacre constitutes the first legally recognised genocide in Europe since the end of World War II. Before the massacre, the United Nations (UN) had declared the besieged enclave of Srebrenica a "safe area" under its protection.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

A UN Protection Force contingent of 370 lightly armed Dutch soldiers failed to deter the town's capture and subsequent massacre. On 13 July, peacekeepers handed over some 5,000 Muslims sheltering at the Dutch base in exchange for the release of 14 Dutch peacekeepers held by the Bosnian Serbs. A list of people missing or killed during the massacre contains 8,372 names. The Research and Documentation Center in Sarajevo established that 83% of those killed were civilians. As of 2020, nearly 7,000 genocide victims had been identified through DNA analysis of body parts recovered from mass graves.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Some Serbs have claimed the massacre was retaliation for civilian casualties inflicted on Bosnian Serbs by Bosniak soldiers from Srebrenica under the command of Naser Orić. These 'revenge' claims have been rejected and condemned by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the UN. The Appeals Chamber of the ICTY (in 2004) and the International Court of Justice (in 2007) have ruled the Srebrenica massacre constituted genocide. In 2002, the government of the Netherlands resigned, citing its inability to prevent the massacre. In 2013, 2014 and 2019, the Dutch state was found liable by its supreme court and the Hague district court, of failing to prevent more than 300 deaths.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1995: 1995 Milestone — The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, was the July 1995 genocidal killing of more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in and around the town of Srebrenica during the Bosnian War.
2. 2002: 2002 Milestone — In 2002, the government of the Netherlands resigned, citing its inability to prevent the massacre.
3. 2004: 2004 Milestone — The Appeals Chamber of the ICTY (in 2004) and the International Court of Justice (in 2007) have ruled the Srebrenica massacre constituted genocide.
4. 2013: 2013 Milestone — In 2013, 2014 and 2019, the Dutch state was found liable by its supreme court and the Hague district court, of failing to prevent more than 300 deaths.
5. 2020: 2020 Milestone — As of 2020, nearly 7,000 genocide victims had been identified through DNA analysis of body parts recovered from mass graves.

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Srebrenica massacre

True or False: “The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia ruled that the Srebrenica massacre was an act of genocide.”

Answer (TRUE ⭕): Both the Appeals Chamber of the ICTY in 2004 and the International Court of Justice in 2007 ruled the event constituted genocide.

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