Remembering Srebrenica
Marking 30 Years
This year marks 30 years since the genocide at Srebrenica, one of the most horrifying chapters in Bosniak history.
The genocide took place during the Bosnian War, sparked by the breakup of Yugoslavia. As Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence in 1992, Bosnian Serb forces, supported by the Yugoslav army, began a violent campaign to seize territory and drive out Bosniak civilians.
The war claimed over 100,000 lives, and Srebrenica would become its most devastating chapter.
By 1995, the town of Srebrenica in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina had already endured three years of siege. Declared a UN Safe Area in 1993, it became a last refuge for tens of thousands of Bosniak civilians fleeing brutal ethnic cleansing. The population surged from 9,000 to 70,000, as families clung to the promise of safety.
March 1995: Bosnian Serb leaders ordered the creation of unbearable conditions for the town’s people. Food and water were cut off, and civilians began dying of starvation.
July 6, 1995: Serb forces launched a final offensive. As the town came under heavy bombardment, thousands of terrified civilians fled to the UN base in Potocari, hoping for protection.
July 11, 1995: Bosnian Serb military entered Srebrenica, stating, “The time has come to take revenge on the Muslims.” Around 25,000 civilians had gathered at the UN base, seeking safety and refuge.
That night became one of the darkest moments in Srebrenica’s history. Soldiers brutally assaulted women, abducted people at random, and systematically murdered men and boys. 10,000 men and boys fled into the forests, only to be captured, and executed.
July 12-13, 1995: Over 20,000 women and children were forcibly transported to Bosniak-held territory. Men and boys as young as 12 were separated, detained, and executed or sent to camps. By July 13, 1995, almost no men or boys remained.
July 14, 1995: In what would become the largest massacre on European soil since the Holocaust, the soldiers began their mass executions of the men held in Bratunac.
Thousands were murdered. Their bodies were then pushed by bulldozers into mass graves. There are horrifying reports of some being buried alive, while remains found later recovered show signs of torture.
Months after the massacre, soldiers attempted to cover up their crimes by scattering the remains across different mass graves. The Srebrenica Memorial Centre reports that the remains of those murdered at Srebrenica have so far been found in 94 mass graves across eastern Bosnia.
To date, 8,372 Bosniak men and boys are confirmed to have been killed between July 13-19, 1995, while more than 1,000 are still unaccounted for. One survivor shared, “30 years later, bodies are still being found.”
It's been 30 years, now what?
“All of that hits hard to this day. When I rewind the tape, everything hits me”
Thirty years later, the pain remains real and raw. Mothers have lost their sons and husbands. Entire families were torn apart. Some children grew up in orphanages, while many others never returned home.
Survivors carry deep trauma that lives with them every day.
"Hunger passes, poverty passes, everything passes, but the trauma and consequences stay.”
Srebrenica Survivor
The story of Srebrenica cannot be forgotten. Honouring survivors means listening to their voices, acknowledging their pain, and committing to the truth.
Stand with the Bosnian people today and remember them in your duas.
Islamic Relief in Bosnia
Islamic Relief has been active in Bosnia since 1992, providing vital assistance to orphans through one-to-one sponsorships, educational projects, essential school supplies, and food distribution programs.
After the war, which left 4.2 million Bosnians displaced, Islamic Relief established an office in Sarajevo and served communities to rebuild homes, schools, and provide Ramadan and Qurbani programming.
Through our emergency and development projects, we implement food security, livelihood, non-food items, education, and psychosocial support, with a focus on income-generating projects.
In recent years, their work has expanded to include sustainable livelihoods projects— offering vocational training, small business support, and agricultural assistance to help families become self-reliant. Their work also includes psychosocial support for war-affected populations and efforts to promote social cohesion in divided communities.
Islamic Relief Canada particularly focuses our efforts on single-parent families and orphans in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Our current projects provide foreign language, information technology, and Quran lessons to orphans and single mothers with the purpose of increasing their opportunity for higher education and employment, as well as agriculture and animal rearing resources to improve income-generating opportunities and food security.