Stupni Do massacre: 33 years since HVO attack killed 38 Bosniaks

On October 23, 1993, members of the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) carried out a massacre in the village of Stupni Do near Vareš, killing 38 Bosniaks, including five children aged between two and nine years old. The attack, executed by the “Apostoli” and “Maturice” special units, involved the burning of approximately 70 houses and the widespread looting of the village.

International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) findings and local court rulings have documented the brutality of the event, noting that some victims were burned alive in their homes. Former HVO commander Ivica Rajić was sentenced to 12 years in prison by the ICTY for his role in the attack and related crimes. Other individuals, including Miroslav Anić and Dominik Ilijašević, received 15-year sentences from the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina for war crimes in the Kiseljak and Vareš areas.