19th anniversary of the Markale market massacre commemorated

Citizens of Sarajevo and high state officials today commemorated the 19th anniversary of the massacre at the famous Sarajevo market Markale by reciting Fatiha, laying flowers and observing a minute of silence, in which 43 citizens of Sarajevo were killed and more than 80 were seriously and lightly wounded, reports the BiH news agency Patria (NAP).

A mortar shell was fired from Serbian positions from the direction of Trebević. War criminals Radovan Karadžić and VRS General Ratko Mladić are being tried for this crime today before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia in The Hague.

This was the second major massacre at this Sarajevo market. The first massacre at Markale occurred on February 5, 1994, between 12:10 and 12:20 PM. A 120-millimeter mortar projectile fired from the positions of the Army of Republika Srpska in the area of the village of Mrkovići fell on the crowded city market. 68 citizens of Sarajevo were killed and 144 were wounded at that time.

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

A wreath was laid at Markale today by member of the Presidency of BiH Željko Komšić, and on behalf of the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH Bakir Izetbegović, a wreath was laid by his advisor Haris Bašić, reports NAP.