Bosnian War

The Siege of Sarajevo was a prolonged blockade perpetrated by the Army of Republika Srpska from 5 April 1992 to 29 February 1996 during the Bosnian War. It lasted for nearly four years and was characterized by shelling and sniping from the surrounding hills, leading to extreme hardship for the residents, thousands of whom perished due to lack of food, water, and medical care.

During the Bosnian War, the town of Prijedor and the surrounding region were the site of widespread ethnic cleansing carried out primarily by Bosnian Serb forces. From 1992, thousands of Bosniak and Bosnian Croat civilians were expelled, detained, or killed. Many were held in concentration camps such as Omarska, Keraterm, and Trnopolje, where torture, abuse, and killings became routine.

In August 1992, international journalists discovered the existence of concentration camps run by Bosnian Serb forces, where Bosniaks and Croats were detained and faced inhumane conditions. Images broadcast worldwide shocked global audiences and intensified calls for international intervention, highlighting ethnic cleansing efforts in the region.

On January 9, 1993, the Bosnian Serb Assembly proclaimed the establishment of Republika Srpska, a political entity intended to encompass Serb-majority areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This declaration formalized ethnic divisions and became one of the key issues during negotiations and in the eventual peace process, although not internationally recognized until the Dayton Accords in 1995.

In response to the escalating violence in Bosnia, the United Nations declared the town of Srebrenica a "safe area" under UN protection in April 1993. The goal was to safeguard the predominantly Bosniak civilian population from Serb attacks. However, the UN peacekeepers were insufficiently equipped to fully protect the enclave, leading to dire consequences in the following years.

On February 5, 1994, a mortar shell struck the crowded Markale Market in Sarajevo, killing 68 people and wounding about 144. This atrocity highlighted the city's vulnerability amid the ongoing siege and drew international condemnation. Investigations revealed that the shell was likely fired from Bosnian Serb positions, intensifying calls for international military intervention.

On March 29, 1994, the Washington Agreement was signed, creating a federation between Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats within Bosnia and Herzegovina. This ended the conflict between these two groups and formed a united front against the Bosnian Serbs. The agreement was an essential step in stabilizing inter-ethnic relations and consolidating opposition to Serb forces.

The Srebrenica Massacre occurred in July 1995 when Bosnian Serb forces led by General Ratko Mladić overran the town of Srebrenica, a UN-designated 'safe area.' Over the course of several days, more than 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were systematically executed in what has been ruled as genocide by international courts. The failure of the UN peacekeepers is remembered as one of the darkest moments in its history.

Following the worsening humanitarian crisis and continued aggression by Bosnian Serb forces, NATO launched Operation Deliberate Force on August 28, 1995. The air campaign aimed to curtail the Bosnian Serb military capabilities and protect UN-designated safe areas. This marked a crucial turning point that pressured Serb leaders to negotiate peace.

The Dayton Agreement, initialed on November 21, 1995, and formally signed in Paris on December 14, effectively ended the Bosnian War. The accord was negotiated in Dayton, Ohio, and was a diplomatic venture to ensure peace by dividing Bosnia and Herzegovina into two separate entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, primarily Bosniak and Croat, and the Republika Srpska, primarily Serb.