Throughout 1993, the region of central Bosnia was embroiled in the Croat–Bosniak war. In December 1993, ahead of the Christmas—New Year truce between the HVO and the ARBiH, the ARBiH launched several coordinated attacks against the HVO in the Vitez area. On 22 December, the ARBiH 325th Mountain Brigade captured the HVO-held Križančevo selo, a village situated near the town of Vitez, and the nearby hamlets of Šafradin and Dubravice. After the capture of the village, at least 12 HVO POWs and 2 captured Croat civilians were killed. Other sources mention several dozen killed, with some sources putting the number as high as a hundred.