Kozarac ( sr-cyrl, Козарац, ) is a town in north-western
Republika Srpska
Republika Srpska ( sr-Cyrl, Република Српска, lit=Serb Republic, also known as Republic of Srpska, ) is one of the two entities of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the other being the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located ...
,
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 ...
, located near the city of
Prijedor. It is located west of
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. ...
. Kozarac is also famous because of the
Kozara National Park.
Kozarac has two public swimming pools, 14 mosques, two churchеs and a shopping mall. Every summer in Kozarac, famous musicians from across the whole of former Yugoslavia perform in the town.
History
During the time of
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label= Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavij ...
, Kozarac had a population of 4,045.
During the
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War ( sh, Rat u Bosni i Hercegovini / Рат у Босни и Херцеговини) was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1992 and 1995. The war is commonly seen as having started ...
, the ethnic cleansing of Kozarac began on May 24, 1992.
For three days, Kozarac was bombarded with shells and mortars. After a few hours of bombardment, Serb forces used loudspeakers to demand the surrender of the mainly Muslim population of Kozarac, promising them safety if they complied. However, when the civilian population complied, the shelling resumed, killing many of those who surrendered.
The survivors fled back to their basements or into the hills. After 37 hours of bombardment, Serb forces once again demanded the surrender of the population, who complied once again.
With the help of a local Serb, the invading Serb forces identified the town's important Muslims, including the mayor, police chief, doctors, lawyers, judges, businessmen, and even athletes, and killed them either by shooting them or slitting their throats in a nearby house, effectively committing
eliticide of the town.
Between 2,500 to 3,000 mostly Bosniak civilians were killed by Serb forces in only 72 hours.
Demographics
Notable people
*
Duško Tadić, war criminal
*
Eldin Jakupović
Eldin Jakupović (; born 2 October 1984) is a Swiss professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Major League Soccer club Los Angeles FC.
He started his professional career at Grasshopper Club Zürich in 2004, then moved to FC Thun a ye ...
, footballer
*
Nedžad Mulabegović
Nedžad Mulabegović (born 4 February 1981) is a Croatian shot putter of Bosniak origin. His personal best throw is 20.67 metres, achieved in July 2014 in Varaždin, Croatia.
He finished twelfth at the 2000 World Junior Championships and won t ...
, athlete
*
Vehid Gunić
Vehid Gunić (Kozarac, 9 February 1941 – Sarajevo, 29 April 2017) was a Bosnian journalist. He worked for many years as a journalist, presenter and editor for Radio Television Sarajevo, later Radio Television Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has so fa ...
, journalist
*
Fikret Hodžić
Fikret Hodžić (26 June 1953 – 9 July 1992) was a professional Bosnian bodybuilder. Hodžić competed during the 1970s and 1980s representing the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
Hodžić was murdered near his home by Serb paramilit ...
, professional body builder
*
Sakib Mahmuljin
Sakib Mahmuljin (born 13 October 1952) is a Bosniak politician and former military leader who served as the commander of the 3rd Corps of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ARBiH) during the Bosnian War. After the war, he was co ...
, war criminal
References in popular culture
In the
BBC drama series
New Tricks episode 84 "Things Can Only Get Better", Hana Keranović, a suspect in the case, comes from Kozarac.
[New Tricks, Things Can Only Get Better]
Episode Script.
/ref>
References
External links
Official Kozarac Community Council Website
(Bosnian)
Official web site of Kozarac
(Bosnian)
Populated places in Prijedor
{{Prijedor-geo-stub