NATO bombing of Albanian refugees near Gjakova

Incident in the Kosovo War

NATO bombing of Albanian refugees near Gjakova
Part of the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia and the Kosovo War
Location	Gjakova, Serbia, Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Date	April 14, 1999 13:30 (UTC+1:00)
Target	Disputed
Attack type	Aerial bombing
Deaths	73
Injured	36
Perpetrators	NATO

v t e Kosovo War
Prelude Attacks on Likoshane and Çirez Prekaz Wartime events UNSCR 1160 Albanian–Yugoslav border ambush Lapušnik prison camp Belaćevac Mine Summer offensive Ljubenić mass graves Lođa 1st Albanian–Yugoslav border Klečka killings Orahovac Junik Lake Radonjić massacre Glodjane UNSCR 1199 Gornje Obrinje massacre UNSCR 1203 UNSCR 1207 Battle of Jezerc 2nd Albanian–Yugoslav border 3rd Albanian–Yugoslav border Panda Bar massacre Podujevo Ambush near Suva Reka Račak massacre Allied Force F-117A shoot-down Novi Sad blitz Bela Crkva massacre Krusha massacres Suva Reka massacre Izbica massacre Drenica massacres Pastasel massacre 4th Albanian-Yugoslav border Battle of Košare Battle of Paštrik Grdelica Gjakova Hajla Meja ambush RTS headquarters Meja massacre Yugoslav Ministry of Defence Lužane bus bombing Varvarin bridge bombing Vushtrri massacre Niš cluster bombing Chinese embassy Koriša bombing Ćuška massacre Aftermath Pristina airport Prizren Zhegër Staro Gracko massacre Gnjilane killings Ranilug 2000 unrest Podujevo bus bombing Aspects War crimes Mass graves: Batajnica mass graves, Rudnica mass grave, Ugljare mass grave, Mališevo mass grave Destruction of heritage (Albanian · Serbian)

Kosovo War

Prelude

Wartime events

Aftermath

Aspects

War crimes
Mass graves: Batajnica mass graves, Rudnica mass grave, Ugljare mass grave, Mališevo mass grave
Destruction of heritage (Albanian · Serbian)

The NATO bombing of Albanian refugees near Gjakova occurred on 14 April 1999 during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia, when NATO planes bombed refugees on a twelve-mile stretch of road between the towns of Gjakova and Deçan in western Kosovo. 73 Kosovo Albanian civilians were killed. Among the victims were 16 children.

NATO response

Main article: Civilian casualties during Operation Allied Force

NATO and the United States initially claimed that the target was exclusively a military convoy and that Yugoslav forces may have been responsible for any attacks on civilians, stating "after the convoy was hit, military people got out and attacked civilians." However, two days later, NATO acknowledged that its aircraft had bombed civilian vehicles, claiming this to be by mistake. Reporters from the American media went to the scene that same day and interviewed survivors and saw damaged farm tractors, burned bodies identified as refugees, bomb craters and shrapnel. Initially, NATO said its aircraft had targeted military vehicles, then reported that an American F-16 pilot had fired on what he thought to be military trucks. NATO expressed "deep regret." Tanjug reported that three Serbian policemen were also killed in the attack.

References

Bacevich & Cohen (2001), p. 15
"NATO strives to end split over Libya command". al Jazeera. 24 March 2011. Retrieved 13 March 2013.
"The Crisis in Kosovo". Human Rights Watch. Retrieved 13 March 2013.

Sources

Bacevich & Cohen, Andrew J., Elliot A. (2001). War Over Kosovo: Politics and Strategy in a Global Age. Columbia University Press. ISBN 978-0-231-12483-6. Retrieved 13 March 2013. War Over Kosovo: Politics and Strategy in a Global Age.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

External links

Confusion over refugee bombings (BBC)

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