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Križančevo selo killings happened in the hamlet of Križančevo selo in the Lašva valley in central Bosnia, where dozens of Croats were killed during the attack by the Bosnian Army on the Croatian Defence Council (HVO) positions on December 22 and 23, 1993. The attack happened during the time when the region was embroiled in the Croat-Bosniak war, and eight months after the Ahmići massacre in the nearby village of Ahmići. The location Križančevo selo is a hamlet situated near the town of Vitez, near the larger villages of Dubravica and Šantići. It was a Croatian Defence Council (HVO) military base according to a witness.

As of April 2010, publicly available details about the exact circumstances of these events are scarce. As there hasn't been any judicial validation yet in either ICTY or the local courts, the full course of the case is still unknown.

The authorities of the self-proclaimed Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia stated that a massacre happened in the aftermath of the military attack, with prisoners of war executed, with some tortured and/or massacred, along with several civilians, and listed names of 52 persons whose bodies they allegedly identified. The incident did not undergo a judicial investigation at the time. The site was inspected by local UNPROFOR forces on January 6, 1994. This was mentioned in one ICTY case, The Prosecutor vs. Kordić and Čerkez, when one witness, British colonel Peter Gage Williams who was part of UNPROFOR forces on the ground at the time, was asked by the Prosecution about "deaths of 60 or 70 Croats at Križančevo selo". He explained that their January 1994 investigation, during which they found 27 bodies and exhumed nine, suggested that there was "no evidence to support the theory of a massacre".

The attack was given official recognition from both relevant sides in the conflict in 2010, when the Croatian president Ivo Josipović, Bosnian Catholic archbishop cardinal Vinko Puljić and the head of the Islamic Community reis Mustafa Cerić made a joint visit at the sites of Ahmići massacre and this case, and paid respect to the victims. Ivo Josipović made an official visit to Bosnia during which he expressed a "deep regret" for Croatia's involvement in efforts to divide Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1990s, resulting in the Croat-Bosniak war and suffering for many people on both sides.

According to the public-service broadcasting organization of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RTVFBIH) report about Josipović's visit, thirty four Croatian Defence Council (HVO) soldiers (including a few civilians) were killed during Bosnian Army attack and thirty other soldiers were captured. However, the Rijeka-based daily Novi list and some other Croatian web sites in their reports about Josipović's visit included information about seventy four soldiers and civilians killed in the attack. Neither press sources mentioned their sources.

See also

• Croat–Bosniak War
• Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing

References

1. Aida Cerkez-Robinson (15 April 2010). "Croatian president honors war victims in Bosnia". Associated Press foreign report. The Guardian. Retrieved 16 April 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
2. "Transcript of the testimony of one Mirsad Ahmić". Case number IT-95-14/2-T The Prosecutor versus Dario Kordić and Mario Čerkez. UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. February 3, 2000. Retrieved April 15, 2010. Q. Is Krizancevo Selo in Vitez, and was it a military base for any particular group? A. Well, yes, it's in Vitez, it's situated in Vitez. We were brought to a place which they called a command or something like that.
3. "Izvješće predstojnika Ureda predsjednika HR Herceg-Bosne" (in Croatian). Zločin s pečatom by Ivica Mlivončić. January 8, 1994. Retrieved April 18, 2010. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help)
4. "Transcript of the testimony of one Peter Gage Williams". Case number IT-95-14/2-T The Prosecutor versus Dario Kordić and Mario Čerkez. UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. January 31, 2000. Retrieved April 17, 2010. Q. All right. Indeed, sir, that involved one particular incident involving the deaths of 60 or 70 Croats at Krizancevo Selo. Do you recall that? A. I do recall that.
5. "Transcript of the testimony of one Peter Gage Williams". Case number IT-95-14/2-T The Prosecutor versus Dario Kordić and Mario Čerkez. UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. January 31, 2000. Retrieved April 17, 2010. Q. There's also a reference to 60 or 70 HVO being killed by a surprise attack at Krizancevo Selo near Dubravica. Would it be fair to say, sir, that that event involving so many deaths raised some particularly hard feelings on the part of the Croats battling for their lives against this sustained assault? A. Indeed. There were immediate allegations that this was a massacre, and we followed this up later on, early in the new year, to investigate the situation. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 56 (help)
6. "Transcript of the testimony of one Peter Gage Williams". Case number IT-95-14/2-T The Prosecutor versus Dario Kordić and Mario Čerkez. UN International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. January 31, 2000. Retrieved April 17, 2010. Q. You indicated that there was an investigation as to the allegations of massacre by the Croats -- Croats alleging massacre on the Croats. What conclusion was reached as to massacre? A. The elaborate investigation was taken -- was conducted at the spot where 27 of the bodies of those who had allegedly been killed were buried. We exhumed nine bodies in the presence of the BBC, amongst other people. To the best of our limited knowledge, they all appeared to be of military age and to have died in extreme traumatic ways, that we assessed as being in combat. We then interviewed three men who had been captured, who were in the gaol in Zenica, and we eventually presented a report, not only to the U.N. authorities, but also to the Croat military authorities in the Vitez pocket. Q. Then did your investigation sustain the allegations by the Croats? A. The investigation suggested that there was -- there was no evidence to support the theory of a massacre. The evidence pointed to a tactical success that had led to a considerable loss of life. {{cite web}}: line feed character in |quote= at position 34 (help)
7. ^ "Predsjednik RH u Ahmićima - Josipović s Puljićem i Cerićem odao počast žrtvama rata u BiH" (in Croatian). Novi list. April 15, 2010. Retrieved April 15, 2010.
8. "Josipovic apologizes for Croatia´s role in war in Bosnia". Croatian Times. April 15, 2010. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
9. Nađa Ridžić (April 15, 2010). (rm). RTVFBIH, branch of the Radiotelevision of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Retrieved April 18, 2010.

v t e Bosnian War
Part of the Yugoslav Wars
Belligerents	Bosniak side Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 1st Corps 2nd Corps 3rd Corps 4th Corps 5th Corps 6th Corps 7th Corps Paramilitary Patriotic League Green Berets Croatian Defence Forces Bosnian mujahideen Croat side Croatian Defence Council 1OZ 2OZ 3OZ 4OZ Paramilitary Croatian Defence Forces Knights Serb side Army of Republika Srpska 1st Krajina Corps 2nd Krajina Corps 3rd Corps East Bosnia Corps Herzegovina Corps Sarajevo-Romanija Corps Drina Corps Paramilitary Wolves of Vučjak White Eagles Serb Volunteer Guard Scorpions Yellow Wasps Western Bosnian side National Defence of the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia
Prelude	Milošević–Tuđman Karađorđevo meeting Zulfikarpašić–Karadžić agreement RAM Plan Serb Autonomous Regions Bosanska Krajina Herzegovina North-East Bosnia Romanija Establishment of the Croatian Community of Herzeg Bosnia Establishment of Republika Srpska Bosnia and Herzegovina independence referendum Sarajevo wedding attack Declaration of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina Battle of Bosanski Brod Sijekovac killings Bijeljina massacre 1992 anti-war protests in Sarajevo
1992	Battle of Kupres Siege of Sarajevo Kazani pit killings Foča ethnic cleansing Bosanski Šamac ethnic cleansing Siege of Srebrenica Zvornik massacre Doboj Snagovo massacre Prijedor ethnic cleansing Sarajevo column incident Siege of Goražde Graz agreement Glogova massacre Lašva Valley ethnic cleansing Tuzla column incident Zaklopača massacre Siege of Doboj Bradina massacre Sarajevo bread line massacre Bijeli Potok massacre Pionirska Street fire Operation Jackal Višegrad massacres Bosanska Jagodina Paklenik Barimo Sjeverin Čemerno massacre Siege of Bihać Ahatovići massacre Croat–Bosniak War Operation Vrbas '92 Operation Corridor 92 Bikavac fire Killings in Bratunac and Srebrenica Agreement on Friendship and Cooperation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia Korićani Cliffs massacre Mičivode massacre Novoseoci massacre Gornja Jošanica massacre
1993	Kravica attack Duša killings Skelani massacre Štrpci Siege of Mostar Srebrenica shelling Ahmići massacre Trusina massacre Sovići and Doljani killings Zenica massacre Vranica case Dobrinja mortar attack Battle of Žepče Battle of Travnik (1993) Battle of Bugojno Operation Irma Operation Neretva '93 Grabovica massacre Mokronoge massacre Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia Inter-Bosniak conflict in Bosanska Krajina Stupni Do massacre Operation Deny Flight Križančevo Selo killings
1994	Operation Tvigi 94 First Markale massacre Banja Luka incident Washington Agreement Establishment of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Operation Bøllebank Attack on Spin magazine journalists Operation Tiger Operation "Breza '94" Battle of Kupres Operation Amanda Scandinavian Airlines System Flight 347 Operation Spider Operation Winter '94
1995	Operation Vlašić Operation Leap 1 Battle of Orašje Operation Leap 2 Split Agreement Operation Summer '95 Pale air strikes Tuzla shelling Battle of Vrbanja Bridge Srebrenica massacre Kravica Battle of Vozuća Operation Miracle Operation Storm Second Markale massacre NATO bombing campaign Operation Mistral 2 Operation Sana Operation Una Operation Southern Move Exodus of Sarajevo Serbs Dayton Agreement Establishment of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Internment camps	Silos Manjača Liplje Luka Vilina Vlas Omarska Keraterm Trnopolje Sušica Čelebići Musala Batković Dretelj Uzamnica Heliodrom Gabela Vojno Kamenica camp
Aspects	Ethnic cleansing and massacres Bosnian genocide Bosnian genocide denial Internment camps Rape Peace plans NATO intervention Foreign support Foreign fighters
Timeline of the Bosnian War (Timeline of the Croat–Bosniak War) Category Commons

• Bosnian War
• 1993 in Bosnia and Herzegovina