10/07/1995 | Voices from the Drina

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So the greatest worry of my boss, the Dutch major Andre de Haan, as Srebrenica falls to the Serb onslaught, is that he’s left his passport at the post-office building in town. Not to worry, major, a Dutch liaison officer is already taking care of it. We’ll all sleep easy tonight.

I’ve just lost it. My Dutch UN boss, major de Haan, has claimed that everything in Srebrenica has calmed down, and that “the Muslims started fighting each other”. He’s point blank lying. I’ve demanded to go back to Srebrenica town. I’ll go alone.

Serb forces have set fire to the mosque in the Soloćuša suburb. This mosque has withstood three years of shelling, only to be destroyed while we’re a “safe area”.

People are running to the edge of town, shouting “the town is falling”. I can see Bosnian Serb soldiers in the hills above our street.

Srebrenica is falling. I’ve decided to escape through the woods. I’m leaving behind my wife, three sons, four nephews, and my mother. I don’t know if I’ll ever see them again. I’m heading through the woods towards Šušnjari village.

@nuhanovichasan is in tears right now. He’s using my radio to negotiate with the UN Military Observers so they’ll let him take his brother to the UN base. We think this will save his brother’s life. If he’s at the base, the Serbs can’t kill him. All Muslim men are in danger now.

Has anyone seen my grandparents? Someone said they’re in the crowd but I can’t find them.

My husband has been killed on the front line. Srebrenica is falling and my husband is dead.

Srebrenica is falling. @unproforbih has promised us NATO air strikes in the morning to prevent the Serbs from reaching Srebrenica town. Tonight will be a long, sleepless wait.

🧵 I’m in Srebrenica town. I’ve been walking around to assess the situation. This is what I’ve gathered.