21 mosque damaged during floods, some completely destroyed

The Islamic Community in BiH will organize a collection (sergija) in all its communities across the country today after the Friday prayer – a voluntary collection of funds that will be used to help those affected by the floods that have struck our country in recent days, it was announced today at a press conference in Sarajevo, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

It was also stated that the IC will propose to all its employees to contribute at least two percent of their salaries for the next 12 months. Funds will be paid into a special account from which the reconstruction of flood-affected areas will also be financed.

Furthermore, it was announced that at the last extraordinary session of the IC, a decision was made to immediately allocate 150,000 KM from the organization's budget and make these funds available to help affected areas. This primarily applies to the muftiates of Zenica, Tuzla, Banja Luka, and Bihać, which were the most affected by the floods.

The IC will also allocate 60,000 KM for the purchase of agricultural seeds to help those affected by the floods. Assistance will also be sent to some communities in Serbia and Croatia that have suffered material damage.

Military mufti Ismail ef. Smajlović stated that the Islamic Community made a huge contribution to stabilizing the situation during the natural disasters in BiH, but that it is also actively participating in restoring life in the affected areas, especially in returnee settlements.

Many imams, he said, were the main coordinators within their communities during this difficult situation, even though they had no prior experience of this kind. All IC publications have been made available to contribute to stabilization in the affected areas.

- The Islamic Community has also formed operational staffs that communicate daily with the main staff in Sarajevo. We are constantly trying to contribute to improving the situation on the ground - said Smajlović.

In BiH, more than 30 communities are endangered by floods and landslides, 21 mosques have been damaged, some of which have been completely destroyed, and a large number of cemeteries have been damaged, reports Patria.