BOSNIA: SERBS PROTEST EUFOR KILLING OF WOMAN

Belgrade, 6 Jan. (AKI) - Serb leaders in Bosnia and Belgrade on Friday sharply protested the killing of the wife of a Serb war crimes suspect in Bosnia by soldiers of the international peacekeeping contingent (Eufor). Rada Abazovic's husband, Dragomir, and her 12-year-old son Dragan were badly injured when the soldiers stormed the family's house in the village og Kozoci, some 60 kilometres east of Sarajevo.

The incident took place Thursday when Eufor soldiers, came to arrest Dragomir Abazovic, who is wanted for war crimes he allegedly committed during the 1992-1995 Balkans war. It is still not exactly clear what happened next, with Eufor saying that Abazovic shot and injured himself, but no official explanation was given on how his wife and 11-year old son were shot.

Bosnian Serb leader Dragan Cavic said in a statement that it was tragic that an innocent person was killed as a result of Eufor action and two people were wounded.

Cavic, who is the president of Bosnian Serb entity Republika Srpska (RS), said that it was not the first time that the international forces had used violence against RS citizens, “with tragic consequences”.

He described Eufor action as “manifestation of a brutal force and violation of European conventions on human rights and freedoms”.

The 5000-strong Eufor troop contingent one year ago replaced an international force under NATO command. Thursday's was the second incident this year in which an innocent person was killed in a hunt for suspected war criminals.

In Belgrade Andreja Mladenovic, spokesman for Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica’s Democratic Party of Serbia, said the Eufor action was “unprofessional, brutal and arrogant”.

“No one has the right to commit crime under any circumstances, and this time innocent people were shot at by those who pretend to implement justice,” said Mladenovic.

Also pointing out that it wasn’t the first such accident, Mladenovic said that it had nothing to do with justice, “because killing women and children cannot be just”, he added. (Vpr/Aki)

ABAZOVIC was seen and positively identified, outside his property, by the EUFOR Tactical Commander. As is standard procedure, the Commander requested, via mobile phone and through the established channels, the immediate presence of local police, in order that they could carry out an arrest in accordance with the warrant.

Shortly after the Commander made this phone call, ABAZOVIC became aware of the EUFOR presence and, having drawn a weapon, tried to escape across open ground. At the same time, a woman came out of the house and opened fire upon the Commander and his civilian interpreter, despite being informed that he was a member of EUFOR. She fired short bursts from an automatic weapon, a Kalashnikov AK-47. Soon after, she was joined by a boy.

As the Commander took cover, other members of EUFOR chased ABAZOVIC while the woman turned her fire upon them. ABAZOVIC was eventually cornered, and he turned his weapon upon himself, shooting himself in the forehead and falling to the ground. EUFOR soldiers detained him.

In the meantime, the woman was still firing upon EUFOR personnel, reloading her weapon and allowing the boy to fire as she retrieved more ammunition. As assessed by EUFOR, she fired at least four magazines of ammunition at them.

With the EUFOR troops still being fired upon and her indiscriminate firing of the Kalashnikov also threatening the lives of both the EUFOR soldiers and the safety of other inhabitants of the village, she was immobilised by a EUFOR soldier with one shot. The boy who had also been firing at EUFOR was also shot and immobilized. Source

The forensic evidence is going to tell the tale on this one.

I really like the last sentence in this article you draw reference to. That is; "At all times, EUFOR soldiers acted with restraint , in-self defence and with courage in the face of great personal danger."

Well that's nice to know. And, I feel so much better now knowing this. (Sounds like cheerleading to me - instead of objective analysis.)

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