6 YEARS HAVE PASSED SINCE SERBIAN AGGRESSION AGAINST DUBROVNIK

DUBROVNIK, Oct 1 (Hina) - On 1 October six years ago the Serbian and Montenegrin aggressors launched the first attack on Dubrovnik and the southernmost tip of Croatia. On 1 October, 1991, the then Yugoslav Army (JNA) and Serb paramiliteries in eastern Herzegovina began an attack on Dubrovnik when the power and water supplies as well as telephone lines between that Croatian city and the rest of the world were cut off. Two JNA corps and its navy and air force were engaged in the aggression. The war in the area claimed 300 lives of Croatian soldiers and civilians. During the aggression 33,000 people had to flee their homes, whereas some 350 people were taken to prison in Morinja (Montenegro) and Bileca (Bosnia-Herzegovina). Aggressors also caused DM several-billion-damage in the area. On December 6, 1991, more than two thousand shells hit the city and about 700 of them landed at the historical downtown. On the same day Croatian soldiers inflicted losses to the aggressors in hand-to-hand fighting on Mount Srdj overlooking the city and began liberating Croatia's southernmost area. (hina) jn mš 012356 MET oct 97