ON THIS DAY: SERB CIVILIANS IMPRISONED IN ČELEBIĆI

BIJELJINA, JUNE 1 /SRNA/ – On this day in 1992, Serb civilians who had previously been detained in Bradina were taken to the Čelebići camp near Konjic, which was controlled by forces loyal to Muslim wartime leader Alija Izetbegović.

The Čelebići camp served as a detention center where Serbs from the Konjic municipality and surrounding areas were tortured and killed. The International Committee of the Red Cross registered more than 400 individuals who suffered in various ways in this camp. The Čelebići complex is located about 5.5 kilometers from Konjic and spans approximately 50,000 square meters. The site had previously been used by the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) for the storage of liquid fuels. In addition to barracks and hangars, the complex also contained a large number of underground tunnels and shafts. Units of the Territorial Defense (TO) of Konjic and the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) seized the military complex in April 1992. During May of that same year, the TO Konjic—composed mostly of members of Muslim formations, HVO, and local police—jointly launched attacks on several villages with a majority Serbian population. Their first target was Donje Selo, which they captured on May 20. They subsequently attacked Vinište, Cerići, and Bjelovčina. Budriga was attacked on May 25 and 26. During these military operations, a large number of Serbs were captured. Most were taken to the barracks in the Čelebići complex, while a smaller number ended up in the "Musala" sports hall in Konjic. The detainees were subjected to torture and executions, but no one from the Muslim political or military leadership has been held accountable for this camp—nor for many other camps established by forces loyal to the wartime government in Sarajevo.