Wreaths were laid at memorials Saturday as a tribute paid to the victims of the 1999 NATO bombing in the city of Nis, southern Serbia, where 56 people were killed and over 200 were injured in 78 days of NATO air raids.

The wreaths were laid at the monument in front of the Nis University building by families of the victims, city officials, representatives of the Serbian Armed Forces, delegations of war veterans' associations, and organizations for preserving the tradition of liberation wars.

A commemoration was also held in Mija Stanimirovic barracks at the monument to fallen soldiers.

The sirens marking the approaching of NATO aircrafts went off a total of 129 times from March 24 until the end of the bombing, and Nis inhabitants spent 52 days in shelters. In 78 days, Nis was bombed 40 times, 28 times at night and 12 during the day.

A total of 324 missiles were fired on the city, including 161 aerial bombs, 36 containers of cluster bombs, 71 cruise missiles and 8 graphite bombs.

About 120 buildings were razed to the ground, while 3,400 housing, business and military facilities were damaged.

On May 7, 1999 only, 15 Nis citizens were killed and several dozens were injured. The target was the city market place.

Nis was again under cluster bomb attack on May 12, 1999, when no one was injured, but people were later killed from unexploded bombs.