Bosnian Serbs celebrate holiday banned by court

Members of Special police march during parade celebrations to mark their autonomous Serb Republic's national holiday, banned by the constitutional court, in East Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, January 9, 2023. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic

EAST SARAJEVO, Bosnia (Reuters) - Bosnian Serbs celebrated their autonomous republic's statehood day on Monday with a parade of armed police, special forces and armoured vehicles in a town adjoining Sarajevo, despite the holiday being banned and legal complaints by Muslim Bosniaks.

Jan. 9 marks the date in 1992 when Bosnian Serbs declared independence, triggering a war in which 100,000 were killed, of them 11,000 in Sarajevo that was besieged by Bosnian Serb forces for 43 months. It also coincides with a Serbian Orthodox Christian holiday.