27 years ago, the Siege of Sarajevo began

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - 27 years ago today, the Siege of Sarajevo began, which lasted 1,425 days and was one of the longest in the history of modern warfare, writes the news agency Patria.

The siege began with the capture of Sarajevo International Airport by the JNA, on the night of April 4-5, 1992. The four-year blockade of the capital was called the "Siege of Sarajevo".

On April 5, 1992, peace demonstrations were held, during which the citizens of Sarajevo demanded that the aggressor forces remove barricades and withdraw. Tens of thousands of people demanded that the war be prevented and that the already prepared aggression against independent Bosnia and Herzegovina be opposed.

Members of the SDS fired from the roof of the Holiday Inn hotel at the demonstrators. After the demonstrations held at Marijin Dvor, the gathered demonstrators headed towards the then Vrbanja Bridge. Snipers positioned in a building opposite the gas station opened fire on the people, and there, on the bridge, Suada Dilberović and Olga Sučić were killed. Suada and Olga were the first victims of the city's siege.

From April 5, during the following 1,425 days of the siege, an average of 329 shells fell on Sarajevo daily, and this city also holds a specific record. Namely, it is a record of 3,777 shells fired at Sarajevo in one day. This happened on July 22, 1993.

The shells caused enormous damage to civilian, cultural, and religious buildings that were shelled. People were killed, civilian, cultural, religious buildings, and hospitals were destroyed. 120 mortars and 250 JNA tanks were stationed in the hills around Sarajevo, which later fell into the hands of the Army of Republika Srpska.

During the Siege of Sarajevo, more than 11,000 people were killed, including 1,600 children, and 50,000 people were lightly and seriously wounded.

The Mayor of Sarajevo, Abdulah Skaka, stated that the City of Sarajevo has initiated activities to officially establish today's date as the day the siege began and to be commemorated and remembered forever as such. So that it never happens again to anyone.