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World - Europe

Airstrikes hit home in a small Serbian town

damage
Images, shown on Serbian TV, of damaged buildings in Aleksinac

RELATED VIDEO
CNN's Brent Sadler reports from a small town hit during NATO airstrikes, Tuesday, April 6
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April 6, 1999
Web posted at: 5:48 a.m. EDT (0948 GMT)

From Correspondent Brent Sadler

ALEKSINAC, Yugoslavia (CNN) -- It was a night of unrelenting bombardment in the Serbian town of Aleksinac. It was a night that Serbs felt suffering and pain, anger and bewilderment.

Two blasts early Tuesday ripped through apartment blocks and apparent civilian homes in Aleksinac as NATO missiles pounded targets in Serbia.

At least four civilians were killed, 30 were injured and a medical clinic used by civilians was hit in the town, about 100 miles south of Belgrade. It appeared to be the largest civilian casualty toll since the beginning of NATO airstrikes..

"This is completely inhuman. I can't describe it," a teacher said. "I saved my children and I can only hope we'll be OK."

The point of detonation was sandwiched between a block of apartments on one side and the clinic on the other.

Confusion and panic was reported as explosions hit and fires broke out. Windows and corridors were strewn with shattered glass and splintered wood.

People wandered around in shock. Survivors said they scrambled through debris. Firefighters doused the flames of Serbian homes. The direct hits caused almost unrecognizable ruin.

The citizens of Aleksinac asked why the bombing occurred.

"There is a military barracks about half a mile away, maybe more," one man said. "But why hit us?

"We're not a target."



RELATED STORIES:
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U.N.: Kosovo refugee flood could reach 1 million
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Yugoslav official: Captured U.S. soldiers won't face trial
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RELATED SITES:
Extensive list of Kosovo-related sites
  • Kosovo

Yugoslavia:
  • Federal Republic of Yugoslavia official site
      • Kesovo and Metohija facts
  • Serbia Ministry of Information
  • Serbia Now! News


Kosovo:
  • Kosova Crisis Center
  • Kosovo - from Albanian.com

Military:
  • NATO official site
  • BosniaLINK - U.S. Dept. of Defense
  • U.S. Navy images from Operation Allied Force
  • U.K. Ministry of Defence - Kosovo news
  • U.K. Royal Air Force - Kosovo news
  • Jane's Defence - Kosovo Crisis

Relief:
  • DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS HOMEPAGE
  • World Vision
  • CARE: The Kosovo Crisis
  • InterAction
  • International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
  • International Committee of the Red Cross
  • Kosovo Humanitarian Disaster Forces Hundreds of Thousands from their Homes
  • Catholic Relief Services
  • Kosovo Relief
  • ReliefWeb: Home page


Media:
  • Independent Yugoslav radio stations B92
  • Institute for War and Peace Reporting
  • United States Information Agency - Kosovo Crisis

Other:
  • Expanded list of related sites on Kosovo
  • 1997 view of Kosovo from space - Eurimage
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