Omarska (Serbian Cyrillic: Омарска) is a town and settlement in the City of Prijedor, Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is located in the northwestern part of the country, in the wider Bosanska Krajina region, between Prijedor and Banja Luka. The settlement lies in the Prijedor–Omarska field, close to the southern slopes of Kozara.
Omarska is associated with iron ore extraction and processing in the wider Ljubija ore field. The nearby Omarska mine has been one of the major mining sites in the Prijedor area. During the Bosnian War, the mining complex near the town was used as the site of the Omarska camp.
History
Early and modern history
The wider Omarska area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. A local government study of the area states that archaeological finds from the wider region include remains from the Neolithic, Copper Age, Bronze Age and Iron Age.
The same source states that the first municipality of Omarska was formed in 1929. It included Omarska and the surrounding villages of Niševići, Gradina, Jelićka, Marićka, Krivaja, Petrov Gaj, Kevljani, Lamovita, Bistrica and Busnovi.
World War II
During World War II, killings of Bosnian Serb civilians took place in the Omarska area and were carried out by the Ustaše, the fascist movement that ruled the Independent State of Croatia.
Bosnian War
During the Bosnian War, Bosnian Serb authorities established detention camps in the Prijedor area, including Omarska, Keraterm and Trnopolje. According to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY), thousands of non-Serb civilians were confined in these camps after Serb forces took control of Prijedor in 1992.
The ICTY reported that detainees in the camps were subjected to severe mistreatment, including beatings, torture, rape, sexual assault and executions.
Geography
Omarska is situated in northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina, in the eastern part of the administrative territory of the City of Prijedor. The wider Omarska area lies on the southern slopes of Kozara, in the eastern part of the Prijedor–Omarska field and toward the northern slopes of the Bereganica hills.
The terrain is mainly lowland and gently hilly. The central part of the area is the Prijedor–Omarska field, an alluvial plain with cultivated fields, meadows and wetland areas. The wider area is connected with neighbouring settlements such as Petrov Gaj, Kevljani, Lamovita, Bistrica, Niševići, Gradina, Jelićka, Krivaja, Marićka and Busnovi.
Hydrography
The main river in the Omarska area is the Gomjenica, which flows through the central part of the wider area in a southeast–northwest direction before joining the Sana. The Gomjenica valley is important for local agriculture because the river passes through some of the most fertile land in the area.
Local administration
Omarska is part of the City of Prijedor in Republika Srpska. Within the local administrative system, the Omarska local community includes the settlement of Omarska and Donja Omarska, with a number of streets and hamlets listed by the City of Prijedor.
The regional local-community office in Omarska also serves the local communities of Omarska, Gornji Petrov Gaj, Gradina, Kevljani, Marićka and Petrov Gaj.
Economy
The economy of Omarska and the surrounding area is closely connected with mining, agriculture and local services. The Omarska area forms part of the wider Ljubija iron ore basin near Prijedor. Iron ore production at the Omarska mine began in 1986 and continued until 1992. The mine was later revitalized in 2004, when production of iron ore concentrate resumed under ArcelorMittal Prijedor. Pupils from Omarska generally continue secondary education in nearby urban centres such as Prijedor and Banja Luka.
Sport
Omarska has a local football club, FK Omarska, which represents the town in football competitions in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Football is one of the most visible sports in the settlement, and the club is connected with the wider sporting life of the Prijedor region.
Gallery
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Crkva_omarska.jpg|Church of St. Tsar Lazar
Omarska Railway Station.jpg|Railway station in Omarska
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