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Hfz. Mevludin ef. Hrnjić

I’m in shock. I was coming back after today’s khutbah (I was still wearing my black Islamic robe and turban). I was stopped by JNA soldiers. They threatened to slaughter me with a knife. I don’t know how to process this.

🧵 This Eid has been like no other. I performed the Eid prayer for my congregation, which my father had come to help me with. I packed my essentials in a bag and bid my congregation goodbye. Then I set off with my father.

Weapons are being set up in positions above Zvornik. Serb forces claim they are ‘defending Zvornik.’ Defending it from what?

My father and have now arrived in our native village of Kamenica. There’s an ominous silence, as if today isn’t Eid. Evil hangs in the air.

I’m joining the frontline to defend my community from being massacred. InshAllah we will win.

My village of Kamenica has been partially destroyed. Half of the village has been burned to the ground, all the way to Bakrači where I went to school. We haven’t been able to repel the Serb attack since there are so few of us and we have no weapons. The entire able-bodied have retreated. They’ve been forced through Drinjača, and up Udrč Mountain in the Drina Valley, towards Cerska.

🧵 How a handshake turned into hell.

I saw a friend of mine who’d been injured in combat. He was walking on crutches. When he saw me he greeted me, “Selam alejkum”. He went to greet me with a handshake. I shook his hand. Before I could withdraw my hand again, there was a flash of light, then flames.

I cast a look towards the playground, and it was pure horror. Pure horror. People were – are – dead, strewn across the stands and the playground. I don’t know which bodies among them are dead. Some are injured and crying for help. There are pieces of flesh everywhere.

Then a UNPROFOR transporter came to collect the injured. There was a little girl who was injured, so I’ve given the little girl to the UN official, Chris. Even as I was handing her over to him I was wading around and not sure if I’d find the girl’s legs among the blood and flesh.