REMAINS OF 25 PERSONS EXHUMED FROM MASS GRAVE IN TOVARNIK

( Editorial: --> 6751 ) TOVARNIK, Jan 23 (Hina) - Experts of the Croatian Government's Commission for detained and missing persons Friday began with the exhumation of remains from a mass grave in Tovarnik, formerly under UN transitional administration in eastern Croatia. The remains of 25 persons have been found so far, of whom three persons have been identified. It is believed the mass grave contains the bodies of between 45 and 53 persons killed by members of Serb paramilitary units and the former Yugoslav People's Army in 1991. Commission president Ivan Grujic said the mass grave is made of three trenches. The remains of 12 bodies have been exhumed from the first trench, he added. Grujic said the trenches had been dug with a digger, and the bodies were just thrown in, without any last rites. The exhumation showed the victims were residents of Tovarnik, who were killed in the village, while their bodies were brought to the site of mass grave. The exhumation of another grave in the Tovarnik area will begin next week, Grujic concluded. (hina) ha jn 231624 MET jan 98