25th anniversary of the war crime in Križančevo Selo


Twenty-five years ago, on December 22nd and 23rd, a war crime was committed against Croats in Križančevo Selo near Vitez when members of the Muslim Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina killed 74 soldiers of the HVO and civilians in two days and burned the entire village to the ground.

Holy Mass for victims of crime in the church of St. Leopold Mandić was led by OFM  Velimir Bavrka, the parish priest of Vitez. After the Eucharist, a commemorative academy was held, where a warning was said about the fact that Križančevo Selo is one of the series of unprocessed war crimes against Croats in BiH, whose victims did not get judicial satisfaction before the Hague tribunal or the BiH courts.

Mario Čerkez, commander of the HVO Brigade of Vitez, in a commemorative speech pointed out that the duty and obligation of Croats in BiH today is to defend the truth about the Homeland War.

“With their lives they gave us the duty to always defend the truth about the events in Central Bosnia, the truth of a just defence for the survival of our century-old homes. They always have to be our pride”, said Čerkez.

Respect to the victims was shown by: Croatian Ambassador to BiH, Ivan del Vechio, who was also a delegate in the name of Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, as well as the generals of the Croatian General Choir, Marinko Krešić, Neđo Perić and Ljubo Ćesić Rojs. Their respect to the victims of Križančevo Selo was given by the representatives of the Croatian National People's board, led by Marina Pendeš, the BiH Defense Minister.

After the commemorative session, a procession went to the memorial place in Križančevo Selo.

At the beginning of November 2018, SIPA members, upon the order of the BiH Prosecutor's Office, arrested eight former Bosniak Army members suspected of war crimes against Croats in Križančevo Selo, Šafradini and Dubravica.

Upon order of the prosecutor from the Special Department for War Crimes of the Prosecutor's Office of BiH, Ibrahim Purić, Ibrahim Tarahija, Nijaz Sivro, Rušit Nurković, Almir Sarajlić, Šaćir Omanović, Kasim Kavazović and Sadik Omanović were arrested.

The massacre in Križančevo Selo occurred on December 22nd and 23rd 1993. in central Bosnia, as part of the great military operation of the Bosniak Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina against the HVO.

At that time, 44 soldiers were killed in combat, and according to Croatian data, a large number of them were liquidated after capture. A further 30 were taken after capture and then liquidated. The bodies of these people were also heavily mutilated.

Crime in Križančevo Selo was also never prosecuted before the ICTY in Hague.