12/07/1995 | Page 3 of 14 | Voices from the Drina

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Oh God, I’ve lost my Fahro in the woods. I was helping some other children cross a road. When I turned back around he was gone. I’ve lost my boy. I promised him I wouldn’t leave him. Please, if anyone moving through the woods sees him, message me. I last saw him at Lolići.

Serb trucks have arrived at @unprofobih base. It was supposed to be UNPROFOR and the Red Cross evacuating women and children. One of the Dutch officers has just told me with a grin on his face, “Ratko Mladić is coming to evacuate you lot.”

I’m seeing symptoms of chemical poisoning among the people I’m trekking through the woods with. Remember, Serb forces have surrounded the woods as we’re walking through them. (1/2)

People are massively hallucinating, some are also becoming somewhat aggressive. These hallucinations are making people stray from the path, where they fall into the hands of Serb soldiers. (2/2)

The Dutch colonel is pleading with Mladić to allow @unproforbih and the Red Cross to evacuate women and children. Mladić is screaming, “You’re a piece of shit. I’m God here!”.

So @unproforbih have managed to negotiate that instead of Serb soldiers, it will be @unproforbih soldiers who will take women and children to Serb vehicles for deportation. Don’t know if I’d call that a win.

I’m heading into the woods with the others to trek to free Tuzla. I’ve decided that if it looks like I’m about to be captured, I’ll use my grenade to kill myself.

Any time we take a break, I take out my Ya-Sin from my backpack and read it. While killings take place around me, I pray to Allah. In doing this, I feel a sense of relief in my heart.

I’m sitting on Buljim hill with my brother, Ševal, as we flee the incoming Serb forces. I don’t know if we’ll both make it to Tuzla alive. But for now, we have each other.

I’m heading into the woods with my two brothers. Mum is at the @unproforbih base in Potočari. I have a loaf of bread and some cold meat she gave me. This will keep me alive during this trek.