Bosnia Government Releases 4 of 8 Serbs It Had Detained

Bosnia’s government, in a move that could help defuse tensions threatening the fragile Bosnia peace process, on Saturday released four Bosnian Serbs detained on suspicion of involvement in war crimes.

The men were driven to Sarajevo’s Brotherhood and Unity Bridge, where they walked to the middle of the span, were picked up by a U.N. vehicle and driven to Bosnian Serb territory.

The Bosnian government had detained at least eight Serbs, including a general and a colonel, citing their possible involvement in war crimes. The officers, Gen. Djordje Djukic and Col. Aleksa Krsmanovic, were not among those freed.

International mediators hoped the release of the four men would help bring the Bosnian Serbs back as full participants in the country’s peace process.

Indeed, Bosnian Serb political leaders said late Saturday that they would restore ties with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization force, but it was unclear if the Bosnian Serb military would go along.

The unexpected announcement came just hours before Richard Holbrooke, the top U.S. mediator for Bosnia-Herzegovina, was to arrive in Sarajevo, the Bosnian capital, where he hopes to convince the Serbs to adhere to the agreement and to resume relations with NATO.

Bosnian Serb military commander Gen. Ratko Mladic broke off contacts Thursday between his forces and the NATO-led peacekeeping mission in Bosnia because the Bosnian government had refused to free the eight Serbs.