Seven Srebrenica genocide victims to be laid to rest on July 11

This year’s burial includes two 19-year-old victims: Senajid Avdic and Hariz Mujic, both killed in July 1995. Their remains were discovered in Suljici (2010) and Baljkovica (2022), respectively. The oldest victim is 67-year-old Fata Bektic, the only woman to be buried this year. Her remains were exhumed in Potocari in 2021.

The other victims to be buried are: Hasib Omerovic (34), Sejdalija Alic (34), Rifet Gabeljic (31), Amir Mujcic (31).

Most of the remains are incomplete, which has delayed some burials for decades. One victim, Hasib Omerovic, was exhumed in 1998, but his family only recently gave consent for burial due to the limited remains recovered.

The Missing Persons Institute urges families who have identified loved ones through DNA but are still awaiting additional remains to consider approving burial before this year’s funeral.

Currently, the Podrinje Identification Project holds remains of nine identified victims awaiting burial consent, and another 45 cases where DNA matches exist. Still, families have yet to confirm identification due to the incomplete nature of the findings.