Anniversary of Serb suffering in Croatia's 'Operation Storm': Vučić in RS, memorial service in Belgrade

Serbia is commemorating the 31st anniversary of Croatia's "Operation Storm," a military and police offensive launched on August 4, 1995, against the self-proclaimed Republic of Serbian Krajina. The operation, which lasted until August 7, 1995, resulted in the ethnic cleansing and expulsion of over 200,000 Serbs from Croatia. This period is marked by significant loss and displacement for the Serb population.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić is participating in commemoration events in Mrkonjić Grad, located in Republika Srpska, where August 4 is observed as a day of mourning. Simultaneously, memorial services are being held in Belgrade, including a liturgy at the Church of Saint Mark, to honor all those who suffered and were displaced during "Operation Storm."

The aftermath of the operation saw war crimes trials at the Hague Tribunal concerning Croatian generals. While Ante Gotovina was initially sentenced to 24 years and Mladen Markač to 18 years for their participation in a joint criminal enterprise aimed at permanently removing Serbs from Croatia, the appeals chamber ultimately acquitted both generals by a majority vote. Ivan Čermak was acquitted in the first instance.

"Operation Storm" began with an attack by Croatian forces and police, along with units of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO), on Banija, Kordun, Lika, and northern Dalmatia. The Croatian government, led by then-President Franjo Tuđman, declared the operation's end on the evening of August 7, though sporadic clashes continued until August 14. The International Court of Justice in The Hague classified "Operation Storm" as an act of ethnic cleansing in its February 2015 ruling.

Data from the Serbian Government Commissioner for Refugees and Migration indicates that over 250,000 Serbs were expelled during and after the operation, with approximately 1,700 killed and over 700 still missing. The Documentation and Information Center Veritas reports 1,284 ethnic Serbs killed, including 1,247 civilians, and 619 missing persons. Veritas notes that three-quarters of the victims were over 60 years old, and 564 of the deceased were women. Croatian NGOs estimate that over 600 civilians were killed, more than 22,000 homes were burned, and around 150,000 Croatian citizens of Serb nationality left the country, facing systematic difficulties in their return for years. Croatia celebrates Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day and Croatian Veterans Day on August 5, marking the entry of its forces into a largely empty Knin and the raising of the Croatian flag on Knin Fortress.