Commemorations for victims of Operation Storm in Serbia, Croatia

In Belgrade, a memorial service was held at St. Mark's Church for Serbs killed or displaced during the operation. Serbian refugee agency officials said that more than 250,000 Serbs were expelled from Croatia during and after the offensive, that around 1,700 were killed and more than 700 remain missing.

In Croatia, a memorial service for Serbian victims was held at a Serbian Orthodox church in the Diocese of Knin, while official Zagreb prepared to mark the anniversary of what it celebrates as a decisive military victory in the war of independence.

Operation Storm, launched on Aug. 4, 1995, restored Zagreb’s control over territory held by rebel Serbs but remains a source of deep division between Croatia and Serbia.