How did ethnic cleansing affect towns in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina during the Bosnian War?

During the Bosnian War (1992–1995), ethnic cleansing was systematically employed in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina to forcibly remove Bosniak inhabitants and secure territory for annexation to Serbia. This process involved extreme violence and terror, fundamentally altering the region's demographic and cultural landscape.12

Mechanisms of Ethnic Cleansing

• Coordinated Attacks: Beginning in April 1992, towns with large Bosniak populations—such as Zvornik, Foča, and Višegrad—were targeted by a combination of local Bosnian Serb forces, paramilitary groups, and units of the Yugoslav army.2
• Expulsion and Terror: The campaign aimed to create an environment of total insecurity, forcing civilians to flee their homes. In areas like Srebrenica and Potočari, this included the use of terror, such as individual murders, rapes, and the burning of homes.13
• Systematic Destruction: Beyond the displacement of people, the campaign involved the systematic demolition of cultural and religious sites, including mosques and other traditional institutions, to erase the presence of the targeted ethnic group.4
• Mass Executions: The process culminated in atrocities such as the Srebrenica genocide, where thousands of Bosniak men and boys were captured, held, and subsequently executed at various sites along the Drina River.32

This violence resulted in the displacement of approximately half of the country's population and the loss of roughly 100,000 lives. It is a fundamental ethical principle that such acts of violence, targeting civilians based on their ethnic identity, are grave violations of human rights and international law.25