Huge Bosnia mass grave excavated at Tomasica

Forensic scientists in Bosnia have dug up the remains of 360 people at what is believed to be the largest mass grave from the war in the 1990s.

The grave lies in the village of Tomasica in north-western Bosnia. Non-Serbs were persecuted in the area by Bosnian Serb troops during the war.

Officials believe the remains of some 1,000 Bosniak Muslim and ethnic Croat men, women and children may be found.

Until recently Bosnian Serb witnesses kept silent about the grave's location.

Sixteen Bosnian Serbs have so far been found guilty of war crimes in the area. The nearby town of Prijedor was a Bosnian Serb stronghold during the war.

Atrocities were committed by Bosnian Serbs at prison camps in the area.

In some other parts of Bosnia-Hercegovina Bosnian Serb civilians were the victims of atrocities committed by Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) or Bosnian Croat forces.

Bullets

Before the Tomasica grave was pinpointed, the biggest mass grave found in Bosnia was at Crni Vrh in Srebrenica, where 629 bodies were dug up. The Srebrenica massacre was the most notorious atrocity committed by Bosnian Serb forces.

The Tomasica grave covers more than 5,000 sq m (53,820 sq ft) and is 10m (about 30 ft) deep, the Associated Press reports.

The forensic teams have found bullets in the grave, suggesting that some victims were shot at the site, the agency adds.