Cerska
Encyclopedia
Cerska is a small town in the municipality of Vlasenica
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
located 12 kilometers from the town of Vlasenica itself and 11 km from the Serbian border.
According to the 1991 census, Cerska had a total population of 1,409 out of which 99% were Bosniaks
and the remainder Serbs
and Yugoslavs
.
During the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
the village found itself in the Srebrenica
enclave. However in early March 1993 the Serb army overran the area expelling the population west to Tuzla
and east to Srebrenica
. In 1995 when the Srebrenica enclave was overrun many of the people who were killed in the ensuig Srebrenica massacre
were killed in and around Cerska, as it was on the way to Tuzla which is where the majority of survivors fled to.
Following the war several mass graves were discovered in the area.
Vlasenica
Vlasenica is a municipality and town of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Administratively it is part of Vlasenica Region.-1912:...
, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
located 12 kilometers from the town of Vlasenica itself and 11 km from the Serbian border.
According to the 1991 census, Cerska had a total population of 1,409 out of which 99% were Bosniaks
Bosniaks
The Bosniaks or Bosniacs are a South Slavic ethnic group, living mainly in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a smaller minority also present in other lands of the Balkan Peninsula especially in Serbia, Montenegro and Croatia...
and the remainder Serbs
Serbs
The Serbs are a South Slavic ethnic group of the Balkans and southern Central Europe. Serbs are located mainly in Serbia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina, and form a sizable minority in Croatia, the Republic of Macedonia and Slovenia. Likewise, Serbs are an officially recognized minority in...
and Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
.
During the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnian War
The Bosnian War or the War in Bosnia and Herzegovina was an international armed conflict that took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina between April 1992 and December 1995. The war involved several sides...
the village found itself in the Srebrenica
Srebrenica
Srebrenica is a town and municipality in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska. Srebrenica is a small mountain town, its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War, the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre,...
enclave. However in early March 1993 the Serb army overran the area expelling the population west to Tuzla
Tuzla
Tuzla is a city and municipality in Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the time of the 1991 census, it had 83,770 inhabitants, while the municipality 131,318. Taking the influx of refugees into account, the city is currently estimated to have 174,558 inhabitants...
and east to Srebrenica
Srebrenica
Srebrenica is a town and municipality in the east of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the Bosnian Serb entity of Republika Srpska. Srebrenica is a small mountain town, its main industry being salt mining and a nearby spa. During the Bosnian War, the town was the site of the July 1995 massacre,...
. In 1995 when the Srebrenica enclave was overrun many of the people who were killed in the ensuig Srebrenica massacre
Srebrenica massacre
The Srebrenica massacre, also known as the Srebrenica genocide, refers to the July 1995 killing, during the Bosnian War, of more than 8,000 Bosniaks , mainly men and boys, in and around the town of Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina, by units of the Army of Republika Srpska under the command of...
were killed in and around Cerska, as it was on the way to Tuzla which is where the majority of survivors fled to.
Following the war several mass graves were discovered in the area.