Tourists paid to kill pregnant women on sick ‘human safari’ – World News
Reports of appalling activities carried out by affluent tourists during the siege of Sarajevo in the 1990s are making headlines once again. Allegations suggest that wealthy individuals participated in gruesome “human safari” expeditions, where they paid to shoot civilians in the besieged city. The siege, which lasted from 1992 to 1996, resulted in the deaths of over 10,000 individuals following Bosnia and Herzegovina’s declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. Rumors of these disturbing safaris have circulated for years, and a book called Pay and Shoot shed light on these claims by presenting documents allegedly provided by a Bosnian intelligence officer, Nedzad Ugljen, who was subsequently killed in 1996.
These tourists, commonly referred to as “sniper tourists,” purportedly funded members of the Bosnian Serb army to target and kill innocent civilians in Sarajevo. Italian journalist Ezio Gavazzeni initiated an investigation into these atrocities in 2025 and shared his findings with the Milan Public Prosecutor’s Office. Shockingly, these inhumane individuals allegedly paid exorbitant sums, such as 80,000 marks ($47,000) to shoot middle-aged individuals, 95,000 marks ($56,000) to shoot young women, and a staggering 110,000 marks ($66,000) to shoot pregnant women. Even more appalling is the claim that these tourists would pay additional amounts to shoot and kill children.
The author of Pay and Shoot, Domagoj Margetic, revealed statements from Nedzad Ugljen indicating that the tourists engaged in a morbid competition to shoot the most attractive women. In a particularly disturbing revelation, Margetic explained that a European royal figure was among the shooters, staying near Sarajevo and expressing a desire to target children.
Testimonies from witnesses further illuminate the horror of these actions. Aleksandar Licanin, who volunteered with a Bosnian Serb tank unit during the siege, recounted witnessing Europeans from Britain, Italy, and Germany participating in these sniper groups. He described the affluent killers wearing expensive leather jackets and pointed out that they were facilitated in targeting civilians, with a vantage point from the cemetery providing them a clear shot. Licanin recalled this macabre spectacle occurring around 1993 or 1994.
In recent developments, an 80-year-old former truck driver is being investigated in connection with these abhorrent claims, as reported by Al Jazeera in February. The investigation aims to bring justice to the victims of these unconscionable acts committed against innocent civilians during a period of turmoil and suffering in Sarajevo. The truth surrounding these despicable “human safari” expeditions must be unearthed, and those responsible must be held accountable for their heinous crimes.