There are foreign cities whose names hold special significance for many Spaniards. One of them is Mostar, in Bosnia and Herzegovina.<\/p>\n
This city, founded in the Middle Ages, located in southern Bosnia and Herzegovina on the banks of the Neretva River, was the scene of many terrible events three decades ago<\/strong>. The city suffered a brutal 18-month siege by the Yugoslav People's Army between 1992 and 1993, after Bosnia and Herzegovina declared its independence from Yugoslavia following the fall of communism. Those battles pitted Yugoslav forces (primarily Serbian) against Croat (Catholic) and Bosnian (Muslim) militias.<\/strong> By the end of 1992, the Croats and Bosnians in the area were fighting each other.<\/p>\n The result of this bloody war was thousands of deaths and Catholic, Orthodox, and Muslim religious buildings destroyed<\/strong> by one side or the other. That horrific war did not end with the bloodshed between the different communities in the area. More than 46,000 Spanish soldiers have participated in peacekeeping missions in Bosnia and Herzegovina since 1992<\/strong>, leaving a lasting positive impression on the local population for their humanitarian aid, which was provided without regard for creed or origin. Sadly, 23 Spanish soldiers died on that mission. Four of them died in Mostar<\/strong>. These were their names:<\/p>\n
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