Former officer testifies in Tuzla Column trial

A former JNA officer at the Tuzla military barracks, Branko Jovovic, has testified in the Tuzla Column trial. Ilija Jurisic is accused of using prohibited materials in an attack on a Yugoslav National Army (JNA) column pulling out of Tuzla in 1992. Former officer testifies in Tuzla Column trial Jovovic said that the column was not a fighting column and that it had come under a surprise attack. The Serbian war crimes prosecution indicted Jurisic on November 5, accusing him of giving the order to fire at the detachment of the JNA’s 92nd Motorized Brigade in Tuzla. At least 92 soldiers were killed in the attack, and 33 injured. A large number of military vehicles were destroyed as well. At the trial today, Jovovic said that, as the commander of the base within the Tuzla barracks on May 15, 1992, he had started packing up his troops, getting ready for a move to the village of Lopar. He said that the column had set off towards Lopar at about 2:00 pm, and that they had learned that the barracks had come under attack while on their way to the other base. Jovovic said that he had decided to take one unit on to Lopar and gather a group of soldiers from that base and return to help the soldiers in Tuzla. When he returned to the barracks he was told that he could not enter, as those were the orders of the barracks commander. He then changed into civilian clothing and tried to enter that way. He said that in the evening, he had heard the movement of military vehicles so he decided to go home to his flat and wait for the column to reemerge and then join it. The witness said that when he came home he had heard a torrent of small arms fire, and that his landlady had been watching TV, which was showing footage of the attack, which was when he had seen the destroyed vehicles and soldiers on fire.

Former officer testifies in Tuzla Column trial

Jovović said that the column was not a fighting column and that it had come under a surprise attack.

The Serbian war crimes prosecution indicted Jurišić on November 5, accusing him of giving the order to fire at the detachment of the JNA’s 92nd Motorized Brigade in Tuzla.

At least 92 soldiers were killed in the attack, and 33 injured. A large number of military vehicles were destroyed as well.

At the trial today, Jovović said that, as the commander of the base within the Tuzla barracks on May 15, 1992, he had started packing up his troops, getting ready for a move to the village of Lopar.

He said that the column had set off towards Lopar at about 2:00 pm, and that they had learned that the barracks had come under attack while on their way to the other base.

Jovović said that he had decided to take one unit on to Lopar and gather a group of soldiers from that base and return to help the soldiers in Tuzla.

When he returned to the barracks he was told that he could not enter, as those were the orders of the barracks commander. He then changed into civilian clothing and tried to enter that way.

He said that in the evening, he had heard the movement of military vehicles so he decided to go home to his flat and wait for the column to reemerge and then join it.

The witness said that when he came home he had heard a torrent of small arms fire, and that his landlady had been watching TV, which was showing footage of the attack, which was when he had seen the destroyed vehicles and soldiers on fire.