Mrkonjić Grad

Mrkonjić Grad (into Cyrillic: МркоњићГрад) (also known under the name of Varcar) is a town of Western Bosnia, located close to Banja Luka, and is today mainly populated Serbes.

History

During the history, the city changed several times of name: Leusaba, Gornje Kloke, Novo Jajce (Jenidži Jajce), Varcar, Varcarev Vakuf, then Varcar Vakuf and finally Mrkonjić Grad.

This last change take place in 1924 in memory of “old king” Petar Karađorđević and his name of war “Petar Mrkonjić” during the revolt of 1875-78. The city is also known as being the place of the first council antifascist of release of Yugoslavia, on November 25th, 1943. It is at this time that the Bosnia Herzégovine was declared republic of the Croatian Serbes, and Bosnian (Musulmans at the time).

During the second world war, many exactions took place on the Muslim population which obliged it to be exiled. It returned at the end of the war.

During the war in Bosnia Herzégovine

For this period, the city was under the control of the Serb extremists who destroyed the oldest symbol of the city, namely the mosque of Krzlar-aga built in 1492, but also the Catholic churches of Varcar and Liskovica, and used the Croatian and Moslem populations with forced labors of installation of sliced on the frontlines.

From June 2nd to 8th 1995, the surroundings of the city will be the object of the event called “Incident of Mrkonjić Grad” or an American fighter plan F-16 will be cut down by a ground-to-air missile of the troops Serb of Bosnia. The American pilot, Scot O' Grady will succeed in ejecting himself and will hide until June 8th in the forests of the neighborhoods, then will be recovered by a marine unit of American.

October 10th, 1995, at the time of the " Operation southern action " , (Operacija Južni potez) and of the rout of the Serb army of Bosnia, the city is taken by the Croatian troops. Nevertheless this victory will remain endeuillée by the death of Andrija Matijaš, ordering 4th brigade of the Croatian army.

Since 1995, completion date of the war in Bosnia Herzégovine, few Bosnian and Croatian refugees will return.

Following the Agreements of Dayton, the city was reassigned on February 4th, 1996 with the Serb République of Bosnia Herzégovine.

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