The Skelani massacre refers to the

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (; ; ARBiH), often referred to as Bosnian Army, was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established by the government of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina i ...

(ARBiH) attack on

Skelani Skelani (Serbian Cyrillic: Скелани) is a village in the municipality of Srebrenica, in the Republika Srpska entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Location Altitude: 242 m According to the 1991 census the population of the town was 1123 - 95 ...

, group of villages in region of

Srebrenica Srebrenica ( sr-cyrl, Сребреница, ) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is a small mountain town, with its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War in 1995, Srebr ...

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Peninsula, it borders Serbia to the east, Montenegro to the southeast, and Croatia to th ...

, held by

Army of Republika Srpska The Army of Republika Srpska (; ВРС/VRS), commonly referred to in English as the Bosnian Serb Army, was the military of Republika Srpska, the self-proclaimed Serb secessionist republic, a territory within the newly independent Bosnia and Herz ...

(VRS), which happened on 16 January 1993. Between 40-65 Serbs were killed in the attack.

ICTY findings

During

Bosnian War The Bosnian War ( / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. Following several earlier violent incid ...

, the

(VRS) attacked

Bosniak The Bosniaks (, Cyrillic script, Cyrillic: Бошњаци, ; , ) are a South Slavs, South Slavic ethnic group native to the Southeast European historical region of Bosnia (region), Bosnia, today part of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and who sha ...

cities and villages in eastern Bosnia, as part of its "six strategic goals" of "eliminating the

Drina river The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a long river in the Balkans, which forms a large portion of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Al ...

as a border" between

Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map = , map_caption = Location of Serbia (gree ...

and

Bosnian Serbs The Serbs of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sr-Cyrl, Срби Босне и Херцеговине, Srbi Bosne i Hercegovine), often referred to as Bosnian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, босански Срби, bosanski Srbi) or Herzegovinian Serbs ( sr-cyrl, � ...

. Although the Serb forces took control of

Zvornik Zvornik ( sr-cyrl, Зворник, ) is a city in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In 2013, it had a population of 58,856 inhabitants. Zvornik is located on the Drina River, on the eastern slopes of Majevica mountain, at the altitude of ...

Bratunac Bratunac ( sr-cyrl, Братунац) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013 census, the municipality has a population of 20,340 inhabitants, while the town of Bratunac has a population of 8,359 inhabita ...

, and

Vlasenica Vlasenica ( sr-Cyrl, Власеница) is a town and municipality in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. As of 2013, it has a population of 11,467 inhabitants, while the town of Vlasenica has a population of 7,228 inhabitants. Etymology ...

municipalities during the first half of 1992, pockets in the surrounding area remained outside of their reach, with Bosniaks offering resistance. The Serb forces started the

siege of Srebrenica The siege of Srebrenica ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Opsada Srebrenice, Опсада Сребреницe) was a three-year siege of the town of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina which lasted from April 1992 to July 1995 during the Bosnian War. I ...

. Between April 1992 and March 1993, the Srebrenica areas were constantly subjected to Serb military assaults, including

artillery Artillery consists of ranged weapons that launch Ammunition, munitions far beyond the range and power of infantry firearms. Early artillery development focused on the ability to breach defensive walls and fortifications during sieges, and l ...

attacks, sniper fire, as well as occasional bombing from aircraft. The Bosnian Serb forces controlled the access roads and forbade international

humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and Humanitarian Logistics, logistic assistance, usually in the short-term, to people in need. Among the people in need are the homelessness, homeless, refugees, and victims of natural disasters, wars, and famines. Th ...

to reach the Srebrenica enclave, not even allowing food and

medical Medicine is the science and Praxis (process), practice of caring for patients, managing the Medical diagnosis, diagnosis, prognosis, Preventive medicine, prevention, therapy, treatment, Palliative care, palliation of their injury or disease, ...

relief. As a consequence, there was a constant shortage of food. This starvation peaked in the winter of 1992/93. In order to overcome this shortage, Bosnian Muslim forces occasionally raided nearby Serb villages in search for food. On 16 January 1993 soldiers of the ARBiH, allegedly led by

Naser Orić Naser Orić (born 3 March 1967) is a Bosnian former officer who commanded Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) forces in the Srebrenica enclave in eastern Bosnia surrounded by Bosnian Serb forces, during the Bosnian War. In 200 ...

, attacked the villages of Skelani. The

Bosnian Muslim Islam is the most widespread religion in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was introduced to the local population in the 15th and 16th centuries as a result of the Ottoman conquest of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Muslims make the largest religious co ...

forces almost reached the border with Serbia, but were stopped a kilometer within Skelani due to an intervention by the Yugoslav Army and Territorial Defense units from the

Užice Užice ( sr-cyr, Ужице, ) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative centre of the Zlatibor District in western Serbia. It is located on the banks of the river Đetinja. According to the 2022 census, the city proper has a popu ...

Corps. The Bosniak forces came so close that some were even machine-gunning Serb civilians fleeing across the border to

Bajina Bašta Bajina Bašta ( sr-Cyrl, Бајина Башта, ) is a town and municipality located in the Zlatibor District of western Serbia. The town lies in the valley of the Drina river at the eastern edge of Tara National Park. According to the 2022 ce ...

, Serbia.

Serbian narrative

Dozens of Serbs were killed in the attack. According to Serb sources numbers claimed vary between dozen to 40, or 65 killed, around a hundred wounded, while purportedly 30 people were taken prisoners and beaten, and 2 children killed, allegedly all civilians from Skelani village and its hamlets of Ćosići,

Žabokvica Žabokvica () is a village in the municipality of Srebrenica, Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina, sometimes known as Bosnia-Herzegovina and informally as Bosnia, is a country in Southeast Europe. Situated on the Balkans, Balkan Pe ...

, Toplica i

Kalimanići Kalimanići is a village in the municipality of Gornji Milanovac, Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , imag ...

, wider region of Srebrenica.

Memorial

In the village of Skelani in 2005 the Government of Republika Srpska erected a monument for 305 Serb victims, alleging that they were all civilians who were killed during the war (1992–1995). The monument claims that 32 children were among killed.

References

Sources

* * * {{Bosnian War Massacres in the Bosnian War Massacres of Serbs Bosniak war crimes in the Bosnian War January 1993 in Europe January 1993 crimes 1993 in Bosnia and Herzegovina Mass murder in 1993 Srebrenica Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina