Groups Targeted in the Yugoslav Wars Ethnic Cleansing (1990s)

Groups Targeted in the Yugoslav Wars Ethnic Cleansing (1990s)

During the breakup of Yugoslavia (1991–1999), ethnic cleansing—systematic forced removal of ethnic/religious groups—targeted different communities in different theaters. The main groups and perpetrators:

1. Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims)

• By: Bosnian Serb forces (VRS), Serb paramilitary (Arkan’s Tigers, Scorpions), JNA remnants.
• Where: Eastern Bosnia (Srebrenica, Žepa, Višegrad), Prijedor, Sarajevo siege.
• Peak: 1992–1995; Srebrenica genocide (July 1995) — 8,000+ men/boys killed.

2. Croats

• By: Serb forces (VRS, JNA) in Croatia (1991–92: Vukovar, Škabrnja) and Bosnia (1992–94: Lašva Valley, Ahmići).
• Also: Croat forces (HVO) cleansed Bosniaks in Herzegovina (1993–94) and Serbs in Western Bosnia (1995 Operation Storm).

3. Serbs

• In Croatia: Croat forces (HV/HVO) during Operations Flash (1995) and Storm (1995) — 150,000–200,000 fled Krajina.
• In Kosovo: KLA (Kosovo Liberation Army) and post-war reprisals (1999) — ~200,000 Serbs/Roma displaced.
• In Bosnia: Bosniak forces in some enclaves (e.g., Srebrenica area, 1992–93).

4. Others

• Roma, Gorani, Jews, Albanians (in Kosovo pre-1999) — also displaced, killed, or persecuted.

Methods

• Mass killings, massacres, executions.
• Forced expulsion, deportation, “ethnic engineering.”
• Destruction of homes, mosques, churches, cultural heritage.
• Rape and sexual violence as terror tactic.
• Concentration camps (Omarska, Trnopolje, Keraterm, Dretelj).

Accountability

The ICTY (International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia) convicted numerous leaders (Karadžić, Mladić, Milošević died mid-trial, etc.) for genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity. The Srebrenica genocide is legally established.