Uvodni članak ACTA.FAC.MED.NAISS. 1999; 16(1), 7-14

CLUSTER BOMBS - CHARACTERISTICS, MECHANISM, TYPES AND CONSEQUENCES OF THE BOMBING OF THE CIVILIANS IN NIŠ

Zoran Golubović, Saša Ristić, Milorad Mirković, Stbobran Trenkić, Čedo Kutlešić, Stojan Marjanović
Klinika za ortopediju i traumatologiju Medicinskog fakulteta u Nišu
Elektrolnski fakultet Niš

Cluster bombs are an inhuman weaponry, intended, among other things, for mass killing of humans. In aggression against FR Yugoslavia, NATO has dropped over 15000 units of cluster bombs.Characteristics of the most frequently used cluster bombs are presented in this paper. Especially, the cluster bomb BGU-87B/B with BLU-97/B sub-missiles is described. This bomb, made in the USA, is used in bombing densely populated parts of Niš, several times. In the case, when Clinical centre was bombed, on May 7th 1999.,15 civilians was killed,18 was hardly- and 11 lightly wounded. In this bombing 120 housing objects are damaged and 47 cars were destroyed. T ical effects of the cluster bomb explosions with casualties are depicted too. All victims got hard wounds of lesia type due to injuring by a great number of shrapnels. The hospital treatment complexity of these wounds is ointed out. Such treatment is caused by a number of simultaneous wounds of many systems in organism. To take care of casualties is a complex task requesting the teamwork of orthopaedists, common surgeries, and plastic- and reconstruction surgery specialists.

Key words: cluster bomb, NATO aviation weapons, civilian casualties, multiple-wounding