Bosnia’s war, 30 years on: How did the atrocities happen?

Al JazeeraCenterEN 8 min read 100% complete by Farah NajjarDecember 15, 2025 at 09:14 AM

AI Summary

long article 8 min

Thirty years after the end of the Bosnian War (1992-1995), Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to grapple with the legacy of ethnic cleansing, mass displacement, and the Srebrenica genocide. The war, triggered by the breakup of Yugoslavia and rising ethnic nationalism, involved systematic targeting of civilians, resulting in approximately 100,000 deaths and the displacement of over two million people. Following Slovenia and Croatia's independence, Bosnia held a referendum in March 1992, overwhelmingly voting for independence, which was opposed by Bosnian Serbs who formed their own "Serb Republic". In April 1992, Bosnian Serb forces, backed by the Yugoslav People’s Army, launched attacks to seize territory and expel non-Serbs, leading to the siege of Sarajevo. The war was fueled by Serbia's separatist policies under Slobodan Milosevic, who aimed to unify Serb-populated areas.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Serbia ×250% Croatia ×250% Josip Broz Tito 60% Yugoslavia ×380% Bosnia and Herzegovina ×5100% Srebrenica ×2100%

Keywords

bosnia war 100% ethnic cleansing 90% srebrenica genocide 80% yugoslavia breakup 70% mass displacement 60% nationalism 60% bosnian serbs 50% sarajevo siege 40%