Stupni Do
Encyclopedia
Stupni Do is a village in the municipality of Vareš
in central Bosnia and Herzegovina
It is located 3 km southeast of the city of Vareš. This small village has only received notoriety because of the atrocity
committed there during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina
.
, 35 Serbs
, 2 Croats
and 1 Yugoslav
.
attacked the village. The Croat troops had been given permission to pass through Serb controlled territory in order to make their assault on the village easier and a bigger surprise.
The Croat forces took control of the village and massacred the Bosniak population. They raped the women before killing them and looted all houses before setting them on fire. The confirmed number of victims is 37, but other sources put the toll at 50.
After the massacre Rajić assumed the name "Viktor Andrić" and continued to serve in the HVO until he was indicted for war crimes in August 1995. He went into hiding in the Croatian city of Split
and continued to live under his assumed name until his arrest in 2003. He initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to guilty in October 2005. In May 2006 he was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.
Vareš
Vareš is a town and municipality in central Bosnia and Herzegovina, famous for the local mining activities and production of iron. It is part of the Zenica-Doboj Canton and the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.-About Vareš:...
in central 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...
It is located 3 km southeast of the city of Vareš. This small village has only received notoriety because of the atrocity
Stupni Do massacre
The Stupni Do massacre was one of the most brutal massacres committed by Croatian forces on Bosniak civilians during the Croat-Bosniak war in the village of Stupni Do in Vareš municipality. It was committed on October 23, 1993 by Croatian Defense Council units called "Apostoli" and "Maturice" led...
committed there 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...
.
Demographics
According to the 1991 census the village had a total population 255 people. 217 BosniaksBosniaks
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...
, 35 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...
, 2 Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
and 1 Yugoslav
Yugoslavs
Yugoslavs is a national designation used by a minority of South Slavs across the countries of the former Yugoslavia and in the diaspora...
.
Massacre
On October 23, 1993 around 200-250 Croatian Defense Council (HVO) soldiers led by Ivica RajićIvica Rajic
Ivica Rajić was a commander in the Croatian Defence Council during the 1992-1995 war in Bosnia and Herzegovina....
attacked the village. The Croat troops had been given permission to pass through Serb controlled territory in order to make their assault on the village easier and a bigger surprise.
The Croat forces took control of the village and massacred the Bosniak population. They raped the women before killing them and looted all houses before setting them on fire. The confirmed number of victims is 37, but other sources put the toll at 50.
After the massacre Rajić assumed the name "Viktor Andrić" and continued to serve in the HVO until he was indicted for war crimes in August 1995. He went into hiding in the Croatian city of Split
Split (city)
Split is a Mediterranean city on the eastern shores of the Adriatic Sea, centered around the ancient Roman Palace of the Emperor Diocletian and its wide port bay. With a population of 178,192 citizens, and a metropolitan area numbering up to 467,899, Split is by far the largest Dalmatian city and...
and continued to live under his assumed name until his arrest in 2003. He initially pleaded not guilty, but changed his plea to guilty in October 2005. In May 2006 he was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment.