The Trusina massacre occurred on 16 April 1993 in the village of
Trusina, located in the municipality of
Konjic
Konjic ( sr-Cyrl, Коњиц) is a city and municipality located in Herzegovina-Neretva Canton of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in northern Herzegovina, around southwest of Sarajevo. ...
in
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...
, where 22 people, four
Croat
The Croats (; hr, Hrvati ) are a South Slavic ethnic group who share a common Croatian ancestry, culture, history and language. They are also a recognized minority in a number of neighboring countries, namely Austria, the Czech Republic, Ge ...
soldiers and 18 Croat civilians, were killed by 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 ...
(ARBiH) during the
Croat–Bosniak War
The Croat–Bosniak War was a conflict between the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, supported by Croatia, that lasted from 18 October 1992 to 23 February 1994.
It is often referred to as a "war within ...
.
Background
On 16 April 1993, between 8 and 9am, an engagement between 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 ...
(ARBiH) and the forces of the
Croatian Defence Council
The Croatian Defence Council ( hr, Hrvatsko vijeće obrane or HVO) was the official military formation of the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia, an unrecognized entity that existed in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1991 and 1996. The HVO wa ...
began. After the first few hours of the battle, ARBiH troops broke the Croatian defense, and captured Croat soldiers. Eighteen civilians, including two children, and four captured Croat fighters were killed in various locations during and/or after the battle.
The remaining civilians, mostly women and children were detained in several private houses, and later released from the village.
[
]
Trials
The Prosecution of Bosnia and Herzegovina charged six members of the Bosnian army's "Zulfikar" special unit including Mensur Memić, Dževad Salčin, Nedžad Hodžić, Senad Hakalović, Nihad Bojadžić and Zulfikar Ališpago for the murder of 22 people, including four HVO members and 18 civilians. Two other suspects, Edin Džeko and Rasema Handanović were extradited from the US for their alleged involvement.
In April 2012, Rasema Handanović pleaded guilty to killing Croat civilians and prisoners of war, expressing "deep regret" for her actions. She was sentenced to five and a half years imprisonment after she agreed to testify against the "Zulfikar" unit members in a plea bargain
A plea bargain (also plea agreement or plea deal) is an agreement in criminal law proceedings, whereby the prosecutor provides a concession to the defendant in exchange for a plea of guilt or '' nolo contendere.'' This may mean that the defendan ...
.
In September 2015, Memić, Hodžić, and Bojadžić were found guilty of killing of prisoners of war and civilians during a "preplanned and prepared attack against the Croat population of the village of Trusina". The trial verdict was upheld in January 2017.
References
External links
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{{Bosnian War
Massacres in the Bosnian War
1993 in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Massacres in 1993
Bosniak war crimes in the Bosnian War
April 1993 events in Europe
Conflicts in 1993
Massacres of Croats