Bombing of Raška - destruction of a transport route

On 11 May 1999, NATO destroyed the bridge over the Ibar near Raška, severing the main road that connects central Serbia with Kosovo.

Strategic target

This bridge was crucial for:

• Civilian traffic towards Kosovo
• Supplying southern Serbia with food and medicine
• The evacuation of refugees from Kosovo

Victims

A minibus carrying civilians was on the bridge. 6 people were killed:

• Dragoslav Petrović (58 years old, driver)
• Milica Jovanović (64 years old)
• Goran Nikolić (35 years old)
• Slavica Đorđević (42 years old)
• Nebojša Marković (29 years old)
• Jovanka Pavlović (71 years old)

Humanitarian consequences

Without the bridge, thousands of people in southern Serbia were left without:

• Access to hospitals in larger cities
• The possibility of evacuation in case of danger
• Food and medicine