ISTANBUL
Mothers who lost their children in the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica, Bosnia in 1995 and survivors of the genocide on Wednesday visited the historical peninsula in Istanbul.
During the trip, which was organized by Istanbul’s Bagcilar district Municipality, the guests visited the Hagia Sophia Mosque and Sultanahmet Mosque, among other major sites.
Munira Subasic, head of the Srebrenica Mothers Association, who lost both her youngest son and husband in the genocide, expressed her gratitude to Bagcilar Mayor Abdullah Ozdemir for hosting them.
Subasic said they did not feel alone on the anniversary of the genocide, emphasizing that there may be differences, but there should be no divisions.
Expressing her desire for unity among Muslims, Subasic emphasized that there should be no distinction between Bosnians and Turkish people.
Subasic added that when the genocide took place, Türkiye was not as strong as it is today.
“We know that Türkiye stood by us. It needs to continue to stand by us. Because the danger facing us has not passed yet. Standing by us is necessary both in terms of human rights and Islamic law,” she said.
More than 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys were killed after Bosnian Serb forces attacked the UN “safe area” of Srebrenica in July 1995. Serb troops led by Gen. Ratko Mladic – later sentenced to life in prison for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide – occupied the area. The bodies of the victims of the genocide were found in 570 different parts of the country.
