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White Eagles (paramilitary)

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Not to be confused with Chetniks.
White Eagles
Бели орлови
Beli orlovi
Coat-of-arms of the White Eagles
Active1991–1999
Allegiance Yugoslavia
 Serbian Krajina
 Republika Srpska
Nickname(s)Avengers (Osvetnici)
Šešelj's men (Šešeljevci)
Engagements
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Vojislav Šešelj
Mirko Jović
Dragoslav Bokan
Milan Lukić

The White Eagles (Serbian: Бели орлови, romanized: Beli orlovi), also known as the Avengers (Serbian: Осветници, romanized: Osvetnici),[1] were a Serbian paramilitary group associated with the Serbian National Renewal (SNO) and the Serbian Radical Party (SRS).[2][3] The White Eagles fought in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo during the Yugoslav Wars.[2][3][4]

In the 2003 Vojislav Šešelj indictment from the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the group is included as an alleged party in a joint criminal enterprise of ethnic cleansing, in which SRS leader Šešelj allegedly took part. In the indictment the group is identified as "volunteer units including 'Chetniks', or Šešeljevci" (Serbian Cyrillic: Шешељевци).[5] This association was denied by Šešelj.[6] On 31 March 2016, he was acquitted in a first-instance verdict on all counts by the ICTY, a ruling which still holds today, barring an unrelated conviction from its successor (International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals) for instigating deportation of Croats from the Serbian village of Hrtkovci.[7]

Name

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Although the group's members were occasionally referred to as Chetniks,[8] the name White Eagles comes from an anti-communist organisation that was formed during World War II. White Eagle refers to the national symbol of Serbia, the double headed white eagle under a crown.

History

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The White Eagles were founded at the end of 1990. The unit's emblem was a white double-headed eagle on a red shield. They participated in attacks on the settlement of Slatina in Western Slavonia, Lovas in October, and Vukovar in November 1991.[9]

Bosnian War

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In the Bosnian war, White Eagles participated in attacks on Bosniak paramilitary units that occupied Bijeljina and defending Višegrad. Members of the White Eagles have been accused of the Višegrad massacre[10], and the Foča massacre[11]. From spring to the summer 1992, Šešelj’s men, together with Arkan's Tigers, liberated Zvornik from Bosniak paramilitary units. Up to 300 Bosniak paramilitaries and militiamen were killed.

The prosecution claimed that these killings were incited by Šešelj's speech, which was dismissed by the Hague Tribunal.[12] There are also unproven allegations that the White Eagles operated a detention camp in Liješće.[13]

Reappearance

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In December 2010 a group called "White Eagles" (Serbian: Бели Орлови / Beli Orlovi) took responsibility for the killing of Kosovo's Bosniak leader Šefko Salković in the north of Kosovo. The group also took responsibility for obstructions of the election process in northern Kosovska Mitrovica, as well as for attacking KFOR troops.[14][15]

References

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  1. ^ "ICTY: Milan Lukić and Sredoje Lukić judgement" (PDF).
  2. ^ a b "Profile: Vojislav Seselj" BBC News 27 November 2006
  3. ^ a b Allen, Beverly (1996) Rape Warfare: The Hidden Genocide in Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, Minnesota, pp. 154-155, ISBN 0-8166-2818-1
  4. ^ Po naređenju: ratni zločini na Kosovu (Izveštaj Human Right Watch-a)
  5. ^ ICTY, Vojislav Seselj indictment, 15 January 2003
  6. ^ "In previous wars (Bosnia, Croatia) there was a small paramilitary organisation called White Eagles, but the Serb Radical Party had absolutely nothing to do with them."Testimony of Vojislav Šešelj, Transcript of 23 August 2005, p. 43081, lines 16-18
  7. ^ "Trial Judgement in the case of Vojislav Šešelj delivered | International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia". www.icty.org. Retrieved 7 August 2024.
  8. ^ "United Nations Commission on Breaches of Geneva Law in Former Yugoslavia". Archived from the original on 8 August 2009. Retrieved 30 December 2007.
  9. ^ Thomas & Mikulan 2006, p. 43.
  10. ^ ""Updates From the International Criminal Courts"" (PDF).. p. 40, 20 July 2007, American University Washington College of Law: War Crimes Research Office
  11. ^ "Testimony of Witness 52, Transcript of 27 March 2000".
  12. ^ "Detalji optužnice protiv Šešelja".
  13. ^ "Prison Camps".
  14. ^ VOA News, Kosovo Holds First Parliamentary Election, 12 December 2010. "A Serb group calling itself White Eagles claimed responsibility for the attack - and also said it carried out the killing of a Bosniak election official last week."
  15. ^ Emg.rs, Serb organization “Beli Orlovi” takes over the killing of Salkovic, 14. December 2010.
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