Mehmed Alagić (8 July 1947 – 7 March 2003) was a Bosnian general in the

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ( bs, Armija Republike Bosne i Hercegovine or ARBiH), often referred to as Bosnian Army, was the military force of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It was established by the government of ...

. He was on trial for war crimes in the

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) was a body of the United Nations that was established to prosecute the war crimes that had been committed during the Yugoslav Wars and to try their perpetrators. The tribunal ...

The Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

but died before the trial had concluded.

Military career

Mehmed Alagić graduated from the YPA (JNA)

military academy A military academy or service academy is an educational institution which prepares candidates for service in the officer corps. It normally provides education in a military environment, the exact definition depending on the country concerned. ...

Banja Luka Banja Luka ( sr-Cyrl, Бања Лука, ) or Banjaluka ( sr-Cyrl, Бањалука, ) is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the ''de facto'' capital of this entity. I ...

in 1970. Later he became the commander of the military academy. In 1986, he became commander of the 36th mechanised brigade and in 1989 commander of the

Zrenjanin Zrenjanin ( sr-Cyrl, Зрењанин, ; hu, Nagybecskerek; ro, Becicherecu Mare; sk, Zreňanin; german: Großbetschkerek) is a List of cities in Serbia, city and the administrative center of the Central Banat District in the autonomous pro ...

brigade as part of the Novi Sad Corps.

Bosnian War

Alagić left the JNA in February 1991. On 13 December 1993 he served in the 17th Krajina Brigade of the 3rd Corps of the

. On 8 March 1993 he became commander of the Operational Group (OG)

Bosnian Krajina Bosanska Krajina ( sr-cyrl, Босанска Крајина, ) is a geographical region, a subregion of Bosnia, in western Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is enclosed by a number of rivers, namely the Sava (north), Glina (northwest), Vrbanja and Vrbas ...

within the 3rd Corps. He became commander of the 3rd Corps on 1 November 1993.

After the war

In March 1996, as a member of the

SDA SDA or sda may refer to: Educational institutions * San Dieguito Academy, Encinitas, California, US * SDA Bocconi School of Management, in Milan, Italy Science and technology Biology * Specific dynamic action, the thermic effect of food * Str ...

party, Alagić was elected for the

mayor In many countries, a mayor is the highest-ranking official in a municipal government such as that of a city or a town. Worldwide, there is a wide variance in local laws and customs regarding the powers and responsibilities of a mayor as well a ...

Sanski Most Sanski Most ( sr-cyrl, Сански Мост, ) is a town and municipality located in the Una-Sana Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is situated on the banks of the Sana River in northweste ...

municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

and a member of the

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is one of the two Political divisions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, entities within the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being Republika Srpska. The Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina consists ...

's Parliament. In 2001 he was indicted for war crimes at the ICTY, but died before the trial commenced. Subsequent to his death, the case was terminated. His co-defendants were convicted and served jail time.https://www.icty.org/x/cases/hadzihasanovic_kubura/cis/en/cis_hadzihasanovic_kubura_en.pdf In December 2019,

Sarajevo Canton The Sarajevo Canton, officially the Canton of Sarajevo ( bs, Kanton Sarajevo; hr, Sarajevska županija; sr-Cyrl, Сарајевски кантон), is one of 10 cantons of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Bosnia and Herzegovina. It ...

initiated a process to name a major street in the city in General Alagić's honour.

Military Ranks

JNA

*1991 -

Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

*1994 -

Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alagic, Mehmed 1947 births 2003 deaths People from Sanski Most Bosniaks of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina Muslims People indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia Bosnia and Herzegovina generals Officers of the Yugoslav People's Army