Dutch prime minister apologizes to Srebrenica peacekeepers

KIFI

Published June 18, 2022 7:56 AM

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — The Dutch government has formally apologized to soldiers who were sent as U.N. peacekeepers to defend the Bosnian enclave of Srebrenica with insufficient firepower and manpower to keep the peace. The soldiers are veterans now. They were overrun by more heavily armed Bosnian Serb forces led by Gen. Ratko Mladic who went on to massacre 8,000 Muslim men and boys in July 1995. An international war crimes tribunal labeled it genocide. Prime Minister Mark Rutte addressed hundreds of veterans of the Dutchbat III peacekeeping unit on Saturday. He said: “Today, I apologize on behalf of the Dutch government to all the women and men of Dutchbat III.”

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