Sniper Alley

Coordinates: 43°51′22″N 18°24′47″E / 43.856°N 18.413°E / 43.856; 18.413
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Sniper Alley in 1996, seen from a Vehicle of the IFOR.
Hand-painted warning sign: "Watch out – Sniper!"

"Sniper Alley" (Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian: Snajperska aleja / Снајперска алеја) was the informal name primarily for streets Zmaja od Bosne Street (Улица Змаја од Босне; Dragon of Bosnia Street) and Meša Selimović Boulevard, the main boulevard in Sarajevo which during the Bosnian War was lined with snipers' posts, and became infamous as a dangerous place for civilians to traverse. The road connects the industrial part of the city (and further on, Sarajevo Airport) to the Old Town's cultural and historic sites. The boulevard itself has many high-rise buildings giving sniper shooters extensive fields of fire.[1]

Mountains surrounding the city were also used for sniper positions, providing a safe distance and giving an excellent view on the city and its traffic. Although the city was under constant Serb siege, its people still had to move about the city in order to survive, thus routinely risking their lives. Signs reading "Pazi – Snajper!" ("Watch out – Sniper!") became common. People would either run fast across the street or would wait for United Nations armored vehicles and walk behind them, using them as shields. According to data gathered in 1995, the snipers wounded 1,030 people and killed 225 - 60 of whom were children. [2]

In the media

See also

References

  1. ^ Ridding down Sniper's Alley, The Prague Post, November 10, 1999
  2. ^ "Face of Mercy, Face of Hate - Sarajevo Survival Map". Minnesota Public Radio. 1992-04-06. Retrieved 2012-04-05.

43°51′22″N 18°24′47″E / 43.856°N 18.413°E / 43.856; 18.413