Gospić massacres: 35 years later, remains of dozens of Serbian victims still missing

On the 35th anniversary of the 1991 killings of Serbian civilians in Gospić, the Documentation-Information Center Veritas and Miodrag Linta, President of the Alliance of Serbs in the Region, have issued statements regarding the unresolved crimes and missing persons.

According to Veritas, at least 129 Serbs were killed in the area, including 39 women. A significant portion of these killings occurred between October 16 and 18, 1991. While 60 victims' remains have been identified and buried, searches continue for the remains of approximately 69 to 70 missing individuals.

The reports state that Serbian civilians were systematically removed from their homes by members of Croatian military and police forces. In 2003, Tihomir Orešković, Mirko Norac, and Stjepan Grandić were sentenced to 15, 12, and 10 years in prison, respectively, for war crimes against the civilian population. However, advocates note that the convicted individuals have since been released and that many others involved in the planning and execution of the crimes have not been held accountable.

Linta emphasized that the violence was part of a broader pattern of systematic pressure and discrimination against Serbs following the rise of the Tuđman regime. He also noted the destruction of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Gospić in November 1991, which was subsequently replaced by a parking lot.