Tuzla marks 33 yrs since the "Tuzla Convoy" incident

On May 15, 1992, members of the then-Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) attempted to withdraw from the "Husinska buna" barracks in Tuzla toward territory under their control, following an agreement between local authorities and the JNA command. However, during their passage through the Brcanska Malta neighbourhood, a conflict erupted. According to available data, at least 50 JNA soldiers were killed and several dozen were wounded.

That day, the column was retreating from Tuzla fully armed. Members of the Tuzla Public Security Station, part of the Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, were assigned to escort the convoy for security. Official accounts state that the exchange of fire began when shots were fired from within the convoy, prompting the police to return fire on the orders of their command.

The convoy included soldiers of the newly formed Yugoslav Army and members of paramilitary units from the self-proclaimed Serb Republic, declared in Banja Luka just three days earlier and placed under the command of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic.

Legal proceedings

The incident led to legal action, most notably the case against Ilija Jurišić, a former member of the police reserve forces in Tuzla. He was convicted in Serbia in 2009 and sentenced to 12 years in prison. In 2010, Jurisic was acquitted of war crimes related to the incident and released after the case was returned for retrial.

Diverging memorials

Because of the emotional and political weight this event still carries, parallel commemorations are held every year.

At 10 today, delegations from Republika Srpska, along with families of the deceased, held a commemorative walk and lay flowers in Armije Republike BiH Street. Around 12:30 pm, wreaths and flowers were laid in front of the memorial ossuary in Pucile, where a religious service for the fallen soldiers will be held.

At the same time, as part of the Day of Tuzla's Defence, local and higher-level officials, war veterans, members of veterans' organisations, and citizens will gather in the same street to pay tribute to the fallen defenders of the city.

Even after more than three decades, there is still no unified or officially accepted number of those killed in what has become known as the "Tuzla Convoy" incident. According to the Tuzla-based Foundation "Truth, Justice, Reconciliation," 33 convoy members and three police officers lost their lives. In contrast, the Republika Srpska Centre for War Crimes Research claims that 54 soldiers were killed and 44 wounded.

Calls for reconciliation and historical clarity

Tuzla’s authorities and various organisations have long emphasised that May 15 represents a day of defence, not aggression, for the city. They continue to call for an objective and impartial historical approach, underlining the importance of honouring all victims while rejecting revisionist attempts that could undermine the nature of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In Tuzla, May 15 is commemorated as the Day of the City’s Liberation.