The story takes us back to the 16th century, where the resilient inhabitants of Krajina valiantly defended the Austro-Hungarian frontier against the relentless expansion of the Ottoman Empire.

Moving forward to the 20th century, the region endures another tragedy during the Croatian Operation Storm of August 1995, when over 200,000 people are forced into exile, with their land, homes, and dreams shattered.

This collection of photos captures the faces of primarily elderly men and women across several small villages in Lika, Croatia. These individuals have chosen to return to the abandoned farmlands they left behind in 1995.

This is what remains.