massacre massacre killing civilians outside village near committed croatian killings took place october croatian war independence civilians included ethnic serbs taken nearby village civilians killed area bank bodies left weeks subsequently shallow mass grave number bodies thrown river killings followed takeover immediate surroundings serbian latin following withdrawal croatian garde mid september bulk civilian population left area remaining population area killed expelled november mass grave containing bodies civilians killed uncovered years croatia recaptured area event included yugoslavia indictment indictment died trial concluded convicted sentenced years prison croatian authorities prosecuted convicted seven officers officials connection killings background ethnic tensions serbs worsened electoral defeat government croatia croatian serbian latin confiscated weapons minimize resistance august tensions escalated open revolt croatian serbs centred predominantly populated areas approximately kilometres miles north east split parts eastern croatia january serbia supported montenegro serbia provinces unsuccessfully tried obtain yugoslav presidency approval operation croatian security forces request denied skirmish insurgents croatian special police march prompted ask federal presidency wartime authority declare state emergency backed serbia allies request refused march serbian president preferring campaign expand serbia preserve yugoslavia croatia federal unit publicly threatened replace serbian army declared longer recognized authority federal presidency threat caused abandon plans preserve yugoslavia favour expansion serbia came control end march conflict escalated fatalities early april leaders revolt croatia declared intention areas control serbia viewed government croatia regions beginning croatia regular army bolster defence croatia doubled police numbers effective croatian police force strong special police comprising battalions organised military lines organised reserve police battalions companies lacked weapons response deteriorating situation croatian government established croatian garde expanding special police battalions professional guards brigades control commanded retired general guards brigades comprised approximately troops reserve police expanded attached reorganised brigades independent battalions guards brigades units fully equipped small arms lack heavier weapons poor command control structure brigade level shortage heavy weapons severe resorted world war weapons taken museums film studios time croatian weapon consisted small arms purchased abroad previously owned police replace personnel lost guards brigades new strong special police established prelude june declared serbian autonomous conflict began clashes peaked late july croatian forces launched offensive primarily aimed populated villages police station town offensive successful securing prompted withdrawal forces valley south west july fighting croatian policemen civilians killed july fighting resumed besieged forces day combat area continued august besieged september days later forces captured major hill overlooking prompting local croatian forces withdraw september captured forces support approximately croatian troops retreated town surrendered capture town followed killings looting buildings town surrounding villages total croatian troops captured town shipped jail arrived forces captured day fell september september captured forces denying croatia important south right bank timeline september forces captured conflict shifted north new line control established south controlled daily skirmishes continued pulled substantial number civilians left area leaving civilians towns surrounding villages half stayed looting houses owned serbs previously fled town continued mid october civilians stayed homes elderly women armed serbs burnt owned houses village north september september days later gunmen returned shooting civilians found dead houses village day catholic church bell tower shot rocket propelled grenades october armed serbs gathered remaining residents village community centre telling meeting instead detained night shipped away day area village west killed approximately elderly civilians remained forces captured village taken killed october men detained killed morning october police picked civilians serbs muslims told taken meeting detained armed guard town fire station day people escaped released serbs relatives october forces moved placed bus told taken released prisoner exchange group serbs taken killed period additional civilians villages killed forces unknown locations bodies killed left weeks victims immediately killed took days die people living opposite bank claim heard cries help days killings took place weeks bodies shallow grave bank river rest thrown grave located sufficiently close river allow current wash bodies away aftermath surviving civilians expelled area november non civilians killed vicinity february numerous owned houses owned houses half owned houses destroyed catholic churches destroyed foundations church destroyed completely removed mass grave near discovered years croatian authorities recaptured area operation storm mass grave contained bodies identified remaining buried common grave catholic cemetery killings civilians taken included yugoslavia trial trial coordinated combat activities forces colonel security head 10th corps area convicted sentenced years prison role ethnic campaign non serbs croatia judgment identified civilians taken approximately killed october died custody march verdict reached croatian authorities prosecuted convicted seven croatian serbs killing persons massacre commanding officer commander police subordinates sentenced years prison sentenced years prison organizing detention civilians participation execution near head civilian authorities commander sentenced years prison command responsibility failing prevent punish crime
Baćin massacre