Victims of the attack on the "Niš Ekspres" (16 February 1999): 12 Serbs killed - names, ages, families, fates

12 Serbs killed - Names of the victims

12 Serbs killed in the attack on the "Niš Ekspres" bus (16 February 1999, Livadice near Podujevo). All were civilians - clerks, pensioners, teachers, doctors, children - who were returning from work or from visiting family.

Youngest victim: Đorđe Nikolić (8 years old) - a first-grade primary school pupil. Đorđe was traveling with his mother (Milena Nikolić, survived) - they were returning from Priština, where they had visited his grandmother (Đorđe's grandma). During the attack, Đorđe was hit by a hand grenade (shrapnel to the head) - he died instantly. His mother Milena survived (without injuries) - but she never recovered from the loss of her son.

Profile of the victims - Who were they?

1. Slobodan Marković (52 years old) - Clerk, Niš

Slobodan Marković worked as a clerk in the Municipality of Priština (administration). Every day he traveled by bus between Niš (where he lived with his wife Dragica and daughter Jelena, 22 years old) and Priština (where he worked).

During the attack, Slobodan was sitting by the window (the right side of the bus). A bullet from an automatic rifle hit him in the chest - he died in the arms of his wife Dragica (who was also on the bus). Dragica survived - but she never recovered. She said: "My husband died in my arms. It is the worst experience. I will never forget."

2. Milica Ilić (68 years old) - Pensioner, Niš

Milica Ilić was the oldest victim of the attack. The pensioner was traveling to Priština to visit her son (Ivan Ilić, 40 years old) who worked there. She was returning to Niš after a week-long visit.

During the attack, Milica was hit by a hand grenade (shrapnel in the stomach and chest). She died on 17 February 1999 in the hospital in Priština (1 day after the attack) - of internal bleeding. Her son Ivan reached the hospital 30 minutes before she died - he managed to say goodbye. He said: "My mother told me 'Be strong, son.' Those were her last words."

3. Petar Jovanović (34 years old) - Engineer, Belgrade

Petar Jovanović was a construction engineer who worked on a project in Priština (the reconstruction of a building). He was married (wife Ana, 32 years old) and had two children (son Marko, 6 years old; daughter Milica, 4 years old).

During the attack, Petar was hit in the head (a bullet from an automatic rifle) - he died instantly. His body was found with the eyes open - witnesses say he was probably conscious for a few seconds after the shot. His wife Ana (who was not on the bus) learned the news at 18:00 the same day - by telephone from Petar's colleague. She and the children never recovered.

7. Đorđe Nikolić (8 years old) - Pupil, Niš (Youngest victim)

Đorđe Nikolić (8 years old) - the youngest victim of the attack on the "Niš Ekspres". Đorđe was a first-grade pupil at the "Vuk Karadžić" primary school in Niš. He was a child full of life - he loved football, drawing, playing with his friends.

On 16 February 1999, Đorđe was traveling with his mother (Milena Nikolić, 34 years old) on the "Niš Ekspres" bus - they were returning from Priština, where they had visited his grandmother (Đorđe's grandma, Dragica Nikolić, 62 years old). Đorđe was happy - he told his mother about his grandma, the toys he had received, the football match he had watched with his grandpa.

During the attack (17:15), Đorđe was sitting next to his mother (the left side of the bus, near the middle). When the terrorists threw a hand grenade into the bus, the grenade exploded 2-3 meters from Đorđe. Shrapnel hit Đorđe in the head and chest - he died instantly.

His mother Milena held her son in her arms as the bus drove to the hospital (10 km). She knew he was dead (he wasn't breathing, wasn't moving), but she wouldn't let him go. At the hospital, the doctors confirmed his death. Milena screamed - so loudly that she was heard throughout the hospital.

The funeral of Đorđe Nikolić (19 February 1999, Niš) - More than 5,000 people came to lay flowers. Đorđe was buried in a white suit (which he had worn at Christmas 1998) - with a football in the coffin (his mother placed the ball there - because Đorđe loved football).

His mother Milena never recovered. She divorced her husband (2001) - because she could not carry on with a normal life. She visits Đorđe's grave every day (for 26 years now) - laying flowers, talking to the grave. She said (2024): "My son was only 8 years old. He should have grown up, married, had children. But the terrorists took that from him. And they were never punished. That is an injustice."

10. Dragan Milošević (39 years old) - Truck driver, Niš

Dragan Milošević was a truck driver (he transported food between Niš and Priština). He was married (wife Gordana, 37 years old) and had a son (Nemanja, 12 years old).

During the attack, Dragan was hit in the stomach (a bullet from an automatic rifle). He was seriously wounded - but did not die at once. He was taken to the hospital in Priština - he was operated on, but he died on 17 February 1999 (1 day later) from complications (internal bleeding, infection).

His wife Gordana was in the hospital when he died. She held his hand until he passed away. She said: "The last thing he said to me was 'Take care of Nemanja.' Those were his last words."

The wounded (43) - Some with permanent consequences

43 people wounded (19 seriously). Some had minor injuries (shrapnel in the arms/legs, cuts from glass) - they recovered within 2-3 weeks. But many had serious injuries (shrapnel in the chest/stomach, bullets in the organs) - some never fully recovered.

12 people have permanent consequences - disability, paralysis, amputations. For example:

• Miloš Petrović (34 years old) - shrapnel in the right arm, partial paralysis (unable to use the arm fully)
• Jovan Stojković (45 years old) - shrapnel in the left leg, amputation of three toes (gangrene)
• Dragica Marković (48 years old) - shrapnel in the chest, permanently damaged lungs (breathes with the aid of a device)

PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) - 30+ survivors have PTSD. Symptoms: nightmares, anxiety, panic when they see a bus, a phobia of Albanians. Some received therapy (medication, psychotherapy), but many never fully recovered.

The families of the victims - They never received justice

The families of the 12 victims never received justice. The terrorists who attacked the "Niš Ekspres" were never arrested, prosecuted, convicted. This is impunity - the double standards of Western "justice".

"My son (Đorđe, 8 years old) was killed by Albanian terrorists. 26 years have passed (from 1999 to 2025) - and still no one has been arrested. No one has been prosecuted. No one is in prison. That is an injustice. My son deserves justice. All the victims deserve justice. But the West ignores them."

2004 - The families of the victims sued UNMIK (the UN administration in Kosovo) and KFOR (the NATO force) for the failure to arrest the terrorists. The lawsuit was dismissed (the court said UNMIK/KFOR have "immunity").

2010 - The families of the victims sued the Hague Tribunal (ICTY) for the failure to indict the KLA terrorists. The lawsuit was dismissed (the Hague Tribunal said that it "does not indict individuals, but commanders" - even though the KLA commander Hashim Thaçi was responsible for the terrorist attacks).

2024 - 25 years later, the families of the victims are still waiting for justice. No one has been arrested. No one has been convicted. This is impunity.

Every year (16 February) - Commemoration in Niš

Every year, 16 February - A commemoration in Niš for the victims of the attack on the "Niš Ekspres". The families of the victims, survivors, citizens of Niš (2,000-5,000 people) come to lay flowers at the monument (erected in 2004 in the center of Niš).

The monument to the victims of the "Niš Ekspres" (Niš, Trg kralja Milana, 2004) - A monument with the names of the 12 victims. Every year, the families lay flowers, light candles, read out the names of the victims.

16 February 2024 - The 25th anniversary of the attack. More than 5,000 people came to the commemoration. The President of Serbia (Aleksandar Vučić) gave a speech: "We will never forget the 12 Serbs who were killed on 16 February 1999. We will never forget the terrorists who fled. We will never forget the West that protected them. Justice will come - one day."