Mladic Witness Claims Bosnian Serbs Fought “Defensive War”

Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, has been charged with the widespread persecution of Bosniaks and Croats, which reached the scale of genocide in some municipalities, including Krajina. He is also charged with genocide in Srebrenica, terrorizing the local population of Sarajevo and taking UN peacekeepers hostage.

Kelecevic, the former chief of staff of the Bosnian Serb Army’s First Krajina Corps, testified at today’s hearing.

During cross-examination, Kelecevic claimed his units fought a “defensive war.”

Kelecevic was presented with an order by the Bosnian Serb Army’s Main Headquarters, which said that all units “must fight for separation from Muslims and Croats and the creation of a Serb state.”

Kelecevic said this was the point of view of the Main Headquarters. He added that Bosniaks and Croats left Serb areas voluntarily.

Prosecutor Arthur Traldi asked Kelecevic if he knew that 4000 Bosniak civilians were expelled from Prijedor in 1992.

“I wouldn’t say expelled. They wanted to leave and were allowed to do so,” Kelecevic said.

Kelecevic said the civilian crisis committee organized their transportation.

Kelecevic was asked if he knew approximately 4000 Bosniaks were expelled from Bosanski Novi. Kelecevic said he didn’t. He also denied knowledge of men from Doboj being arrested and subsequently detained in Bosanski Novi.

The breach of the Posavina corridor, according to Kelecevic, was a defensive move aimed at connecting eastern and western Serb territories. After being shown an order by Mladic which indicated that the breach of the Posavina corridor was a big offensive operation, Keleceiv said there were “both defensive and offensive elements.”

Last week, the Hague prosecution finished presenting their evidence regarding the Tomasica mass grave, and displayed forensic evidence regarding the remains of several hundred individuals unearthed there in 2013.

After the presentation of evidence regarding the Tomasica mass grave, Mladic’s defense continued its evidence hearing with testimony from Simo Tusevljak, a former member of the Bosnian Serb police force. Tusevljak said that the military and police of Republika Srpska had no connection to paramilitary formations.

“Paramilitary formations worked in opposition to us, and they committed criminal acts…By the end of 1992 all paramilitary forces were forced to leave Bosnian Serb territory, and some people were prosecuted,” Tusevljak said.

The trial continues on July 14.