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Photo: SIPA.

Bosnia’s State Investigation and Protection Agency on Thursday arrested Ibrahim Puric, Ibrahim Tarahija, Nijaz Sivro, Rusit Nurkovic, Almir Sarajlic, Sacir Omanovic, Kasim Kavazovic and Sadik Omanovic, who are all accused of wartime crimes against Croats in central Bosnia.

The state prosecution accuses them, as commanders and soldiers of the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of contravening the provisions of the Geneva Conventions on the protection of prisoners of war and civilians at a time of war.

Their alleged crimes were committed during the armed conflict between the Army of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croatian Defence Council.

“They are suspected of committing war crimes against Croat victims at Krizancevo Selo, Safradin and Dubravica, where at least 12 captured Croatian Defence Council members, who had previously surrendered, and two civilian Croat women, were killed on December 22, 1993, and property was pillaged and destroyed,” the prosecution said in a statement.

The bodies of those who were killed were exchanged 40 days afterwards. Marks of abuse and cuts were found on the bodies that were handed over, the prosecution said.

“Some of the suspects, in their capacity as commanders of Bosnian Army units, have been charged with having directly participated in the commission of the crimes and with failing to undertake activities to prevent the crimes and process and punish the perpetrators,” it added.