Key facts
- Ratko Mladic, convicted of genocide, died at age 84 in UN detention in The Hague.
- He was serving a life sentence for his role in the Bosnian War, including the Srebrenica massacre and the siege of Sarajevo.
- Mladic's forces committed atrocities during the Bosnian War, leading to over 100,000 deaths.
- He was sentenced to life in prison in 2017 by the UN tribunal for war crimes.
- Reactions to his death have been mixed, with victims' groups condemning him and some Bosnian Serbs praising him.
Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity, has died at the age of 84. He passed away in UN detention in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence.
Mladic's forces were responsible for atrocities during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, including the siege of Sarajevo and the Srebrenica massacre, where over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed. This event marked the first genocide in Europe since World War II.
He commanded Bosnian Serb troops and aimed to create a Serb mini-state, laying siege to cities and establishing concentration camps. Despite his convictions, Mladic and his supporters have maintained his actions were patriotic.
His death was confirmed by UN officials and a relative. His son, Darko Mladic, was reportedly traveling to The Hague. Mladic had been in custody since 2011, following years on the run, and was sentenced to life in prison in 2017.
Reactions to his death have been divided. Munira Subasic of the Mothers of Srebrenica group expressed sorrow that he did not suffer longer, while lamenting the continued denial of his crimes. Conversely, some Bosnian Serb and Serbian nationalist politicians praised him as a hero and honorable soldier.