Anniversary of the Markale Massacre: Horrific Memories of Survivors Not Forgotten

Numerous citizens of Sarajevo and high officials marked the 22nd anniversary of the Markale massacre in which 43 people were killed and 84 were seriously or lightly wounded, reports the Patria agency. 

The president of the Association of Civilian Victims of Sarajevo Canton, Senida Karović, stated that it is extremely important to remember the victims of this horrific massacre.

- Today marks 22 years since the brutal massacre at this location, in which 43 of our fellow citizens lost their lives, and 84 were seriously or lightly wounded. The horrific memories of the surviving citizens from this place have not been forgotten. To this day, they remain very close to them, and nothing has changed or been lost in them.

It is of utmost importance to collectively remember, develop a culture of remembrance, especially towards younger generations, and do everything to rescue from oblivion the sites of mass civilian war casualties and seek justice for the perpetrators of crimes, no matter how distant that justice seems to us every day – emphasized Senida Karović.

The Chairperson of the Assembly of Sarajevo Canton, Ana Babić, said that each year since the Markale massacre has its own story and carries some secret.

- This is a painful moment, and every year that has passed is sad, and each of those years has its own story, and each of those years carries its own secret... Memories remain, and we must nurture those memories, and never underestimate them. Whenever we pass by here, we feel them; this place reminds us of the moments when we, together with them, embarked on the difficult life that lay ahead of us – stated Ana Babić.

The second Markale massacre occurred on August 28, 1995, at 11 a.m.

Five shells were fired from positions of the aggressor Serbian forces. 43 citizens of Sarajevo were killed, and 84 were wounded. Markale is located in the city center and is a marketplace. During the war, it was often subjected to bombardment by Serbian forces.

Shrapnel from a 120 mm mortar shell, fired from the direction of Trebević, which exploded near the northern entrance to the City Market, killed Omer Ajanović, Hidajet Alić, Salko Alić, Zeno Bašević, Husein Baktašević, Sevda Brkan-Kruščica, Vera Brutus-Đukić, Halida Cepić, Paša Crnčalo, Mejra Cocalić, Razija Čolić, Esad Čoranbegić, Dario Dlouhi, Salko Duraković, Alija Dževlan, Najla Fazlić, Rijad Garbo, Ibrahim Hajvaz, Meho Herceglić, Jasmina Hodžić, Hajrudin Hozo, Jusuf Hašimbegović, Adnan Ibrahimagić, Ilija Karanović, Mesudija Kerović, Vehid Komar, Muhamed Kukić, Mirsad Kovačević, Hašim Kurtović, Ismet Klarić, Masija Lončar, Osman Mahmutović, Senad Muratović, Goran Poturković, Blaženka Smoljan, Hamid Smajlhodžić, Hajro Šatrović, Samir Topuzović, Hamza Tunović, Ajdin Vukotić, Sabaheta Vukotić, Meho Zećo and Narima Žig.