In July 1995, over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed in Srebrenica, eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, following the town’s capture by Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian War. This event, ruled a genocide by international courts, saw thousands attempt a desperate escape through dense forests towards free territory, enduring days of thirst, fear, ambushes, and mass executions, as recounted by those who survived.
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The Siege and Fall of Srebrenica
Srebrenica, a small town in a valley near the Drina River bordering Serbia, became a refuge for thousands of displaced Bosniaks during the Bosnian War (1992-1995), which erupted after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia. By 1995, the town and surrounding area, declared a UN “safe area” in 1993, housed around 60,000 people, including many who had fled violence in nearby regions.
Despite the UN declaration and the presence of Dutch peacekeepers, shelling and attacks by Bosnian Serb forces, supported by Serbia, continued. The goal of Bosnian Serb leaders was to carve out a territory called Republika Srpska, expelling non-Serbs.
A young Bosniak refugee from Srebrenica arrives at a UN base near Tuzla
On July 6, 1995, Bosnian Serb forces, led by General Ratko Mladic, launched Operation Krivaja ‘95 to capture the Srebrenica enclave. Artillery fire intensified, making life in refugee camps and the town increasingly perilous. Bosniak defenders in Srebrenica had been disarmed by the UN, leaving them with limited means to resist the heavily armed Bosnian Serb Army.
By July 10, Serb forces were entering Srebrenica town. Sixteen-year-old Emir Bektic recalled his father returning home covered in blood, saying, “Srebrenica is no more. We have to leave.” Hajrudin Mesic, 21, whose two brothers had already died in the war, heard explosions from his family’s apartment as forces entered the town.
The Separation and the Column
On July 11, as Bosnian Serb forces took control, they began separating the population. Women, young children, and the elderly were directed towards the UN base in Potocari, north of Srebrenica, with promises of safety and transport.
Simultaneously, between 12,000 and 15,000 Bosniak men and boys, fearing for their lives if captured, gathered to attempt an escape through the heavily forested hills. Their destination was Tuzla, a city nearly 100 kilometers away that remained under the control of the Bosnian government and was considered a free zone.
Nedzad Avdic, 17, was at a refugee camp south of Srebrenica with his family when the offensive began. He and his father, Alija, decided to join the forest column, while his mother and three younger sisters headed for Potocari. Emir Bektic joined the column with his father, Redzep. Hajrudin Mesic and his two remaining brothers, Hasan and Safet, also chose the perilous march through the woods.
The journey through the dense forests of eastern Bosnia was arduous. The terrain was difficult, temperatures were high, and movement had to be silent to avoid detection by Bosnian Serb patrols waiting in ambush.
Ambush and Executions
The escape route, often referred to as the “death march,” took the men through areas known to be controlled or monitored by Bosnian Serb forces. Ambush points were common, particularly near villages along the route.
On July 11 or 12, Nedzad Avdic and his group reached villages outside Srebrenica where thousands were gathering. Amidst the chaos of shelling and panicked crowds, Avdic became separated from his father. “Surrounded by thousands of people, I still felt utterly alone,” he wrote later.
Near Kamenicko Brdo, about 40 kilometers from Tuzla, Emir Bektic and his father were part of a group cut off by soldiers on July 12. Exhausted and thirsty, they were captured. Bektic recounted soldiers debating how to kill them. He fell asleep in his father’s lap and woke the next afternoon to find himself alone, his father gone. Bektic was later recaptured but managed to escape execution by hiding among women and children on a bus departing from Potocari.
Emir Bektic at age 10 with his father Redzep
On July 13, Nedzad Avdic’s group was also intercepted near Kamenice. Soldiers promised humane treatment but subjected them to beatings and humiliation. They were forced to applaud as wounded men were taken away and killed. Packed into trucks without water in unbearable heat, many suffered and some died. Avdic recalled seeing a truck with “The Queen of Death” written on it.
The trucks arrived at a school in Petkovici on July 14. Men were beaten and forced into classrooms. Avdic was taken upstairs and briefly reunited with his uncle. Soldiers promised an exchange via the Red Cross, a false hope used to maintain order. Men were taken out in groups, stripped, tied, and loaded onto trucks.
Avdic’s truck drove to a field where thousands were gathered. Gunfire erupted. Avdic was shot but survived by pretending to be dead under a pile of bodies. He later crawled away with another survivor, navigating the forest for days before reaching Bosnian-held territory near Tuzla.
Bosnian Serb forces massacred over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys in Srebrenica in July 1995
Hajrudin Mesic also faced ambushes. His brother Hasan was shot in the arms. Mesic became separated from both Hasan and Safet. He survived multiple attacks in the forest, including one where a wounded 16-year-old boy next to him was killed after crying out for help. Mesic and a friend eventually stumbled into Bosnian-controlled territory near Tuzla.
The Aftermath and Legacy
Within days in July 1995, Bosnian Serb forces systematically executed over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys. Approximately 25,000 women and children were expelled from Srebrenica.
The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and the International Court of Justice (ICJ) later ruled that the killings in Srebrenica constituted genocide. Bosnian Serb leaders Radovan Karadzic and Ratko Mladic were convicted of genocide for their roles.
The search for victims continues today, with over 1,000 families still missing loved ones. Remains recovered from mass graves are identified and buried at the Srebrenica Memorial Center in Potocari.
Nedzad Avdic lost his father, uncles, cousins, and many friends. He testified at The Hague and co-wrote a memoir, “The Hague Witness.” He lives in Srebrenica today.
Nedzad Avdic, a survivor of the Srebrenica genocide
Hajrudin Mesic lost four brothers and numerous relatives. His brother Hasan’s remains were found and buried, but Safet is still missing. Mesic teaches history and geography in Sarajevo and brings students to the Srebrenica memorial.
Hajrudin Mesic's parents, Selim and Zaha, who survived by reaching Tuzla
Emir Bektic lost his father Redzep, whose remains were found in a mass grave. He also lost his uncle and cousins who were with him in the forest. Bektic is the author of “A Dawn Alone,” recounting his survival. He lives in Sarajevo.
These survivors, and thousands of others, carry the profound physical and psychological scars of the Srebrenica genocide, bearing witness to the horrors of July 1995.
For more context on the Bosnian War and the break-up of Yugoslavia, explore our related articles:
