Investigation into Alleged 'Human Safaris' During the Siege of Sarajevo
Introduction
Recent reports and legal investigations have revealed claims that wealthy foreigners took part in organized sniper activities. These individuals allegedly targeted civilians during the siege of Sarajevo between 1992 and 1995.
Main Body
According to journalist Domagoj Margetic, these 'safaris' were organized by Zvonko Horvatincic, a former Yugoslav intelligence officer. He allegedly coordinated a network that brought foreign nationals through Croatian ports into areas controlled by Serbian forces. Furthermore, this arrangement continued even though Croatian and Serbian forces were fighting each other, which suggests that intelligence agencies collaborated to allow these trips to happen. Evidence from documents collected by Bosnian intelligence officer Nedzad Ugljen shows that there was a pricing system for targeting different people. For example, payments to Serbian handlers started at 80,000 marks for middle-aged adults and increased to 110,000 marks for pregnant women. Additionally, some Bosnian-Serb militia members claimed that a European royal used a helicopter to enter the region specifically to target children. These claims are supported by other testimonies. In 2007, former U.S. Marine John Jordan told an international court that he saw foreigners using professional hunting weapons and civilian clothes. Although he did not see them fire the weapons, he noted that they did not know the city well and relied on local guides. Moreover, a 2022 documentary featured a former U.S. intelligence officer who claimed to have seen high-status Westerners shooting from hidden positions.
Conclusion
Although Serbian veterans deny these events, Italian authorities started an investigation in November 2025 to determine if these claims are true.
Learning
🧩 The 'Nuance' Shift: Moving from Facts to Claims
At an A2 level, you usually say things are true or false. (e.g., 'The man was a sniper'). But to reach B2, you must describe things that might be true, especially when dealing with news or legal reports. This is called Hedged Language.
🔍 The Magic Word: Allegedly
Look at the text. The author doesn't say "These people killed civilians." Instead, they say:
"These individuals allegedly targeted civilians..."
Why? Because if the author is wrong, they could be sued. Allegedly means "someone says this happened, but it is not proven yet."
🛠️ Upgrading Your Vocabulary
Stop using "But" and "Also" for everything. Use these B2 connectors found in the article to link complex ideas:
- Furthermore / Moreover Use these instead of "Also" to add a strong, supporting point.
- Example: The price was high. Moreover, it was illegal.
- Although Use this to show a contrast in one sentence.
- Example: Although they were fighting, they collaborated in secret.
📉 Price vs. Value (Precision)
In A2, we use "cost." In B2, we use more precise terms. Notice the phrase "pricing system."
Instead of saying: "The cost for the person was 80,000 marks," Try: "There was a pricing system for targeting different people."
The B2 Rule: Move from describing actions (buying/paying) to describing systems (pricing/coordination).