How did Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ethnic and religious diversity shape the conflict?

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s ethnic and religious diversity was central to the conflict that erupted between 1992 and 1995. The country’s population historically comprised three major groups—Bosniaks (Muslims), Serbs (Orthodox Christians), and Croats (Roman Catholics)—whose presence made the region vulnerable to nationalist territorial aspirations following the disintegration of Yugoslavia.1

The conflict was fundamentally shaped by these divisions:

• Nationalist Agendas: Ethnic nationalists, often supported by neighboring Serbia and Croatia, sought to secure control over territories they claimed as their own, leading to widespread fighting for key villages and roads.12
• Ethnic Cleansing: A defining and horrific feature of the war was the use of ethnic cleansing, a process aimed at creating ethnically homogeneous areas through the forced displacement or expulsion of specific groups. This often involved the deliberate targeting of civilians and the destruction of cultural and religious sites, such as mosques, to remove physical vestiges of the targeted populations.134
• Political Fragmentation: The war resulted in a highly decentralized state, formalized by the Dayton Accords, which divided the country into two autonomous entities: the Republika Srpska and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.15

The violence underscored the tragic consequences of using ethnic identity as a tool for political and territorial control.32