DAY OF MOURNING IN TK 30 years ago, Serb forces shelled Kapija: The day Tuzla's youth was killed

(Patria) - On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Kapija massacre, today is a Day of Mourning in the Tuzla Canton.

The Kapija massacre, also known as the Crime against Tuzla's youth, is one of the most severe crimes committed against the civilians of Tuzla, which occurred on May 25, 1995. On that day, at 8:55 PM, Serb forces fired a shell from Ozren towards a youth gathering place known as Kapija in the center of Tuzla.

The shell killed 71 citizens of Tuzla and wounded 170. The average age of the killed was 23, and the youngest victim, Sandro Kalesić, was only two years old.

General Novak Đukić of the former Army of Republika Srpska (VRS) was found guilty of the Tuzla Kapija massacre, as he, as commander of the Ozren Tactical Group (VRS), ordered the artillery unit to shell Tuzla on May 25, 1995. In June 2014, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison, however, under the pretext of medical treatment, he evaded serving his sentence and is currently in Serbia.

The central commemoration will be held on Sunday, May 25. The observance will begin with laying wreaths and flowers at Slana Banja, in honor of all civilian victims of the war, followed by a commemoration at Kapija – the site where Tuzla's youth perished. Exactly at 8:55 PM, at the moment the fatal shell was fired in 1995, a siren will sound.

The Kapija Memorial Center (ul. Patriotske lige 5) will be open to visitors today from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

The following people lost their lives at Tuzla Kapija: Razija Dedović, Alma Brguljak, Senada Hasanović, Fahrudin Ramić, Pera Marinović, Šaban Mustačević, Edhem Sarajlić, Adnan Beganović, Asmir Bakalović, Suzana Dušić, Almasa Ćerimović, Amir Dapa, Amir Đuzel, Vesna Kurtalić, Edisa Memić, Sanja Ćajić, Nedim Rekić, Mustafa Vuković, Adnan Hujdurović, Edina Ahmetašević, Amira Mehinović, Franc Kantor, Asim Slijepčević, Sandro Kalesić, Edin Hodžić, Indira Borić, Sulejman Mehanović, Damir Kurbašić, Ilinka Tadić, Selma Nuhanović, Edin Mehmedović, Nihad Šišić, Amir Čekić, Indira Okanović, Ilvana Bošnjaković, Admir Alispahić, Jasenko Rosić, Damir Bojkić, Samir Mujić, Rajif Rahmani, Almir Jahić, Lejla Bučuk, Azur Mujabašić, Azur Vantić, Suzana Abuismail, Šemsa Hasičić, Senahid Salamović, Nenad Marković, Hamdija Hakić, Petar Stjepanović, Elvis Alagić, Lejla Atiković, Armin Šišić, Rusmir Ponjavić, Alem Hidanović, Zada Dedić, Vanja Kurbegović, Jelena Stojičić, Hasa Hrustanović, Ago Hadžić, Selma Čaušević, Nešet Mujanović, Adrijana Milić, Samir Čirak, Muri Fatušić, Elvir Murselović, Adnan Saimović, Jasminka Sarajlić, and four other unidentified persons.