{{A Dutch court has ruled that the Netherlands was liable for the killings of more than 300 Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslim) men and boys at Srebrenica during the Bosnian war in July 1995.}}
It said that Dutch peacekeepers had failed to protect the Bosniaks when the town fell to the besieging Bosnian Serb army. More than 7,000 were killed.
Bosniaks who had taken refuge with the Dutch were handed over to the Serbs.
Srebrenica is considered Europe’s worst massacre since World War Two.
Last year, a Dutch court ruled that the Netherlands was liable for the deaths of three Bosniak men at Srebrenica.
{{Compensation}}
In the latest ruling, launched by relatives of the victims under the name “Mothers of Srebrenica”, the court said that Dutch peacekeeping forces, Dutchbat, did not do enough to protect 300 of the Bosniaks and should have been aware of the potential for genocide to be committed.
It said that the Dutch state must accept some degree of responsibility for what happened and pay compensation to the families of the 300 victims.
Press in the courtroom, says it was a hugely significant ruling but a heart-breaking verdict for the women because the Dutch state was only found partly responsible for the deaths of 300 of the more than 7,000 men killed.
This, she continues, means many of the relatives of the victims will not be entitled to compensation.
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