Serbian police have removed a 1,000-pound U.S.-made AN-M44 World War II aerial bomb from a central Belgrade construction site after safety checks and evacuations. The device—linked to 1944 air raids during Belgrade's liberation—was transported about 110 miles to a military training ground for controlled destruction. Similar wartime ordnance discoveries have prompted evacuations and safe disposal across Serbia and other countries in recent years.
1,000-Pound U.S.-Made WWII Bomb Safely Removed From Central Belgrade Construction Site
Police in Belgrade said on Sunday that a 1,000-pound aerial bomb manufactured in the United States and dating to World War II was safely removed from a construction site in a central district of the Serbian capital.
The munition has been identified as an AN-M44 aerial bomb believed to have been dropped during 1944 air raids targeting German positions during the liberation of Belgrade. Authorities carried out detailed reconnaissance of the area — which lies close to residential buildings and a shopping mall — to ensure safe conditions, police said.
Residents in the immediate vicinity were advised to temporarily evacuate where possible while explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialists prepared and carried out the extraction. After removal, the device was transported roughly 110 miles (about 175 km) to a military arms training ground, where officials said it will be destroyed in the coming days.
Why This Matters
Unexploded ordnance from past conflicts remains a recurring safety hazard in Serbia and across Europe. Discoveries of wartime bombs and shells often require precautionary evacuations, road closures and controlled detonations as specialists work to render devices safe.
Recent Similar Incidents
- Sept 2024: Crews cleared a nearly 660-pound, century-old artillery shell from a construction site near the Serbian parliament in Belgrade.
- April 2024: A large bomb dating to the 1999 NATO bombing campaign was found in Niš, southern Serbia.
- 2021: A 530-pound World War II bomb was removed from a construction site in a Belgrade suburb.
- Jan 2024: More than 170 World War II–era bombs were discovered beneath a children’s playground in Wooler, Northumberland, England.
- June 2024: Three unexploded U.S. World War II bombs were defused in Cologne, Germany, during roadworks.
- Sept 2024: A 500-pound World War II bomb discovered in Bratislava prompted widespread evacuations.
- Sept 2024: A U.S.-made bomb nearly five feet long was found and later defused at a Quarry Bay construction site in Hong Kong.
Officials remind builders and residents in older urban areas to remain vigilant for wartime ordnance and to follow instructions from authorities during any discovery or disposal operation.
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