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Kozarac
Козарац
Mutnik mosque in Kozarac
Mutnik mosque in Kozarac
Country Bosnia and Herzegovina
EntityRepublika Srpska
RegionBosanska Krajina
CityPrijedor
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,843
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)

Kozarac (Serbian Cyrillic: Козарац, pronounced [kɔ̂zarats]) is a town in north-western Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, located near the city of Prijedor. It is located 45 kilometres (28 mi) west of Banja Luka. Kozarac is also famous because of the Kozara National Park.

Kozarac has two public swimming pools, 14 mosques, two churchеs and a shopping mall. Every summer in Kozarac, famous musicians from across the whole of former Yugoslavia perform in the town.

History

During the time of Yugoslavia, Kozarac had a population of 4,045.[1] During the Bosnian War, the ethnic cleansing of Kozarac began on May 24, 1992.[2] For three days, Kozarac was bombarded with shells and mortars. After a few hours of bombardment, Serb forces used loudspeakers to demand the surrender of the mainly Muslim population of Kozarac, promising them safety if they complied. However, when the civilian population complied, the shelling resumed, killing many of those who surrendered.[3] The survivors fled back to their basements or into the hills. After 37 hours of bombardment, Serb forces once again demanded the surrender of the population, who complied once again.

With the help of a local Serb, the invading Serb forces identified the town's important Muslims, including the mayor, police chief, doctors, lawyers, judges, businessmen, and even athletes, and killed them either by shooting them or slitting their throats in a nearby house, effectively committing eliticide of the town.[3] Between 2,500 to 3,000 mostly Bosniak civilians were killed by Serb forces in only 72 hours.[2]

Demographics

Ethnic Groups in Kozarac[1]
Ethnic Group 1991 2013
Bosniaks (Muslims) 3,740 (92.46%) 4,306 (97.93%)
Serbs 96 (2.37%) 42 (0.96%)
Croats 35 (0.87%) 8 (0.18%)
Others 174 (4.30%) 41 (0.93%)
Total 4,045 (100.00%) 4,397 (100.00%)

Notable people

References in popular culture

In the BBC drama series New Tricks episode 84 "Things Can Only Get Better", Hana Keranović, a suspect in the case, comes from Kozarac.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Popis 2013 u BiH". www.statistika.ba. Retrieved 2022-07-29.
  2. ^ a b Battiata, Mary (1992-11-02). "A TOWN'S BLOODY 'CLEANSING'". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2022-12-18.
  3. ^ a b Maass, Peter (1996). Love Thy Neighbour: A Story of War. New York: Vintage Books. p. 39. ISBN 0-679-44433-5.
  4. ^ New Tricks, Things Can Only Get Better: Episode Script.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Kozarac.


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