Wreaths were laid and candles lit at the monument and roses laid at the site of the Ovcara mass grave in eastern Croatia on Sunday to mark the 20th anniversary of the execution of 200 wounded, medical staff and civilians who were taken from Vukovar's general hospital on 19 November 1991 and killed the next day at Ovcara farm, about 10 km from the town.
At least 261 people were taken from the hospital on November 18, a day after the defence of Vukovar was crushed, according to hospital records. The remains of 200 have been exhumed at Ovcara, while the rest are still being traced.
The names of all 200 victims were read out and Mass was celebrated at today's commemoration, called "You are not alone, we are with you" and organised by the Vukovar Association of Homeland War Defenders' Widows. Also in attendance was an association of children of killed and missing defenders.
The Ovcara commemoration was part of ceremonies marking Vukovar Remembrance Day, held to commemorate the town's fall to besieging Serb paramilitary forces backed by the Yugoslav Army 20 years ago.
