ON THIS DAY: SERB CIVILIANS WERE IMPRISONED IN ČELEBIĆI CAMP

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, where they were held by forces loyal to the wartime Muslim leader Alija Izetbegović. The Čelebići camp was a detention facility where Serbs from the municipality of Konjic and the surrounding area were tortured and killed. The International Committee of the Red Cross registered more than 400 people who suffered in various ways in this camp.

The Čelebići complex is located about 5.5 kilometers from Konjic and covers approximately 50,000 square meters. The complex had been used by the Yugoslav People's Army /JNA/ for the storage of liquid fuels. In addition to barracks and warehouses, it also contained a large number of underground tunnels and shafts. Units of the Konjic Territorial Defence /TO/ and the Croatian Defence Council /HVO/ seized the military complex in April 1992. During May of the same year, the Konjic TO, whose ranks consisted largely of members of Muslim formations, HVO units, and local police personnel, jointly attacked several villages in which Serbs constituted the majority of the 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. Many of them were transferred to the barracks of the Čelebići complex, while a smaller number were taken to the “Musala” sports hall in Konjic. The detainees were subjected to torture and executions, but for this camp, as well as for many others established by forces loyal to the wartime government in Sarajevo, no member of the Muslim political or military leadership was held accountable.