In the 1991census, the municipality of Konjic had 43,878 residents: 23,815Bosniaks (54.3%), 11,513 Croats (26.2%), 6,620 Serbs (15.1%), and 1,930others (4.4%). In 1997, roughly two years after the Bosnian war ended, the demographics of the municipality had changed drastically. The municipality of Konjic had approx. 32,000 residents: 92,7% Bosniaks, 4,7% Croats, 2,4% Serbs, and 0,2% others.
The demographic shift was due to the Bosnian war as Serb and Croatian residents of Konjic fled or were expelled (see ethnic cleansing) by Bosniak forces. They were partly replaced by Bosniak refugees from primarily the south west and east parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina.No census has been carried out since 1997 but the population is assumed to be around 39,000.
By Bosnian Serb historical accounts, several aggressive measures have been taken since the second World War to discourage Serbian presence in the area. On 30 October 1990, the desecration of the Serbian Orthodox Church in Konjic marked the beginning of what Serbs believed to be renewed attempts to reduce Serbian presence even further.
Reportedly, on 19 April 1992, joint Bosnian Croat- Bosnian Muslim forces attacked the JNA military facilities at Celebici. The grossly outnumbered Bosnian Serb forces were rendered powerless and compelled to retreat. Serbian soldiers were then arrested, paving the way for full Croat-Muslim occupation of Celebici and, from there, of the greater Konjic municipality.Helsinki Watch, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Abuses by Bosnian Croat and Muslim Forces in Central and Southwestern Bosnia- Hercegovina (September 1993), volume 5, IHRLI Doc. No. 35940- 35957
According to Bosnian Croat chronicles, in early 1992, Serbs began shelling Konjic from the villages above the region. As the battles with Serbs developed, Croats organized themselves, forming the HVO, and shortly thereafter Muslims organized into the BiH Army. The HVO and BiH forces positioned themselves in the hills above the villages of Konjic and, by joint effort, successfully resisted Serb occupation.Helsinki Watch, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Abuses by Bosnian Croat and Muslim Forces in Central and Southwestern Bosnia- Hercegovina (September 1993), volume 5, IHRLI Doc. No. 35940- 35957
Regardless of which historical position is adopted, by March 1993, the political rampart constructed by Croat and Muslim forces had begun to crumble, and on 14 April 1993, fighting broke out between Muslim and Croatian forces in Klis. The Muslims, assisted by Mujahedin, were a formidable force in the region, and Croatian villages came under siege and eventually under Muslim occupation.
By 16 April, BiH forces attacked Croatian HVO positions in Konjic, resulting in the overthrow of Croatian forces and the complete Muslim occupation of Konjic.
In the following accounts, the first 16 camp descriptions detail those locations cooperatively controlled by Croatian and Muslim forces. The subsequent 11 accounts describe facilities controlled solely by Muslims, and the two remaining locations fall under undetermined authority. There are also several reports that allege the existence of a camp or camps in Konjic without supplying enough detail to determine the exact location or by whom they were controlled.Helsinki Watch, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Abuses by Bosnian Croat and Muslim Forces in Central and Southwestern Bosnia- Hercegovina (September 1993), volume 5, IHRLI Doc. No. 35940- 35957
In May 1992, following the withdrawal of the JNA from its barracks in the village of Celebici, Croatian-Muslim forces assumed control of the barracks and transformed them into a detention centre for Serbian prisoners, known as the Celibici prison camp. Immediately after its creation on 4 May 1992 and continuing through to the suspension of operations in December 1992, Celebici prison camp interned several hundred, mainly Serb, citizens from the municipality of Konjic. The number of detainees changed regularly.Helsinki Watch, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Abuses by Bosnian Croat and Muslim Forces in Central and Southwestern Bosnia- Hercegovina (September 1993), volume 5, IHRLI Doc. No. 35940- 35957
For example, On 22 May 1992, Croatian and Muslim forces allegedly attacked the Serb villages of Bjelovcina, Cerici, and Donje Selo. Reportedly all surviving members of the Serb population in these villages were taken to the Celebici prison camp. In another report, members of the «TO B-H» invaded the village of Brdjani on 15 June 1992 and ordered all the men to surrender. Forty-eight Serbian prisoners were put on trucks and taken to Celebici. Some 200 individuals from Bradina were already in residence when they arrived.Helsinki Watch, Bosnia-Hercegovina: Abuses by Bosnian Croat and Muslim Forces in Central and Southwestern Bosnia- Hercegovina (September 1993), volume 5, IHRLI Doc. No. 35940- 35957
Other Bosniak and/or Croat-run prison camps in the Konjic area are: the Konjic police station,
