Italy Probes Alleged ‘Human Safari’ Sniper Trips in 1990s Sarajevo
You might find this story almost too shocking to believe. Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into claims that, during the Bosnian War in the early 1990s, some wealthy Italians allegedly paid to take part in what has been called “human safari” trips in Sarajevo. The allegation is that these tourists traveled to the city to shoot at civilians from positions held by Bosnian Serb forces during the brutal siege that lasted from 1992 to 1996. Reports suggest that men, women, and even children were targeted, with different rates charged depending on who the victim was.
The case came to light after journalist and novelist Ezio Gavazzeni filed a complaint in Milan. He described a “manhunt” by affluent individuals with a fascination for weapons, claiming they paid large sums to hunt defenseless civilians. Some accounts suggest that fees could reach up to €100,000 in today’s money. Gavazzeni’s investigation includes testimonies from a Bosnian military intelligence officer who revealed that the Bosnian authorities had discovered these so-called sniper trips in late 1993 and passed the information to Italian intelligence early the following year. Within a few months, according to the officer, the practice was reportedly halted.
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The allegations are supported by a 2022 documentary, Sarajevo Safari , directed by Miran Zupanic, which claimed that participants came not only from Italy but from other countries, including the U.S. and Russia. Historical context makes the story even darker: during the siege, Sarajevo’s streets were infamous for sniper fire from surrounding hills, and over 11,000 civilians were killed. Snipers would often target anyone crossing major streets, leaving residents with no choice but to risk their lives daily.
Some high-profile figures, such as Russian writer Eduard Limonov, were filmed firing into the city alongside Bosnian Serb leaders, though Limonov did not pay for the experience—he was reportedly there as an admirer. Yet Gavazzeni claims that many other “sniper tourists” did pay and that their presence has left an unhealed scar in Sarajevo’s history. The investigation in Italy is focusing on identifying witnesses and potential participants, including wealthy businessmen from cities like Trieste and Turin, while the Bosnian and Serbian authorities’ past inquiries into such claims have largely stalled or dismissed them as urban myths.
British forces who served in Sarajevo at the time have reportedly never encountered evidence of these “sniper safaris,” suggesting that if they occurred, they would have required careful secrecy. Italian prosecutors, however, appear determined to pursue the case now, aiming to shed light on one of the most chilling allegations to emerge from the horrors of the Balkan conflict.
It’s a haunting reminder of the extremes to which human cruelty can reach—even war tourism, where killing for sport is allegedly turned into a macabre adventure, is being investigated decades after the fact.
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