Philippe Morillon, General Who Made Fateful Protection Promise, Dies at 90

New York Times - WorldCenter-LeftEN 6 min read 100% complete by Adam NossiterFebruary 7, 2026 at 04:26 AM

AI Summary

long article 6 min

French General Philippe Morillon, who commanded UN peacekeeping forces in Bosnia, died on January 29 at age 90. In March 1993, Morillon promised the besieged Muslim residents of Srebrenica UN protection during the Bosnian War. His declaration, made without authorization, was met with fury by his superiors but joy by the townspeople facing starvation and Serbian attacks. Despite Morillon's promise, nearly 8,000 Muslim men and boys were massacred in Srebrenica in 1995, two years after he left his post. Morillon lived to regret his promise, feeling guilt over the subsequent tragedy.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Sarajevo 30% David Rohde 30% Saumur 30% Emmanuel Macron 40% French Army 40% Yugoslavia 50% France ×260% UN ×470% Bosnia-Herzegovina ×270% Srebrenica ×580% Philippe Morillon ×690%

Keywords

philippe morillon 100% srebrenica massacre 90% bosnia 80% united nations 70% promise of protection 70% civil war 60% peacekeeping forces 50% ethnic cleansing 50%