10,419 (MOSTLY BOSNIAKS) STILL MISSING 15 YEARS AFTER THE BOSNIAN WAR

International Day of the Disappeared

About 15,000 people are still considered missing from the wars among the former Yugoslavia's succeeding countries, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Of that number, a total of 10,419 people are still missing in Bosnia and Herzegovina and almost all of the missing - or 10,276 - are Bosnian Muslims (Bosniaks). [Footage by Nick Danziger ↓ / continue reading below]

"It is not acceptable that the fate of almost 15,000 persons remains unknown and that their families continue to endure such suffering. Behind the statistics, there are individual men, women and children whose lives were torn apart by untold violence. It is a fundamental issue of humanity and political responsibility that the thousands of affected families receive news and support," said Paul-Henri Arni, the Belgrade-based head of ICRC's regional delegation.

"It is calculated that 15,000 missing people affect the lives of another 200,000 people who still search for their family members," he added.

If searches continue at the same pace, it will take at least another 22 years in Croatia, 33 years in Kosovo, and 11 years in Bosnia-Herzegovina to solve the missing cases. to solve the missing cases that remain open, while Bosnia will probably take another 11 years.

The International Commission on Missing Persons (ICMP) praised Bosnia-Herzegovina for its efforts in finding and identifying the missing:

"With over two thirds of its approximately 30,000 missing persons accounted for, BiH provides a hope for other countries too that the issue of missing persons can be successfully dealt with. Bosnia is the first country to pass a dedicated Law on Missing Persons in 2004."

Bosnia and Herzegovina is also a global leader in the science of DNA identification.