Srebrenica Genocide Memorial: A Historical Day Tour from Sarajevo

Srebrenica, a town of mediaeval origin, whose name refers to silver mining, has become a symbol of the memory of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the massacre that took place here. The Srebrenica tour is a unique route aimed at raising awareness of the genocide that took place here between 1992 and 1995, during the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina. The operation, code-named Krivaja 95, began on 6 July 1995, at around 3 a.m. On 11 July 1995, in the afternoon, the Armed Forces of Republika Srpska, operating under the orders of Radovan Karadžić, entered Srebrenica and took over the town. At the time, it was one of six security zones in the war-torn region, controlled by UN troops, to which Bosnian Muslims fled seeking safety and protection. The town, back then protected by a Dutch battalion, was surrendered to the Serbs and its defenders fled. In the following days, Serbian troops separated the men and boys from the women and children and set fire to their personal belongings. Then, prisoners were held in several different locations under extremely inhumane conditions. Finally, on 13 July 1995, in the afternoon, the mass executions began. On 13 July at least 1,000 people were killed. Shootings continued in the following days, with a total of more than 8,000 men and boys killed. When the truth about crimes committed in Srebrenica came to light, the commander of the Republika Srpska Armed Forces, Ratko Mladić, and the leader of the Bosnian Serbs, Radovan Karadžić, were sentenced to life imprisonment. Our day-long study tour to the site of the greatest crime in Europe since the end of the Second World War will begin in Sarajevo. From there, we will travel with a local guide through the strikingly beautiful mountain region to Srebrenica. Although you can still sense the tragic past while walking around the city, Srebrenica tries to build its future, the city lives, there are numerous mines and spas operating here.The Srebrenica massacre is considered the largest genocide in Europe since the Second World War. In July 1995, more than 8,000 Bosnian Muslims were killed at the hands of the Republika Srpska Armed Forces. Being here is the only way to pay respect to the victims and learn more about one of the most tragic periods in the Balkan history.