Ratko Mladic, ex-Bosnian Serb warlord who oversaw atrocities, dies as a prisoner at 84

Live updates

1. 18d ago

   Convicted War Criminal Ratko Mladic Dies in Prison

   Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb general known as the Butcher of Bosnia, has died as a prisoner in The Hague. Most sources report he was 84, though one reports he was 83. Convicted of genocide, including the Srebrenica massacre, Mladic died after Serbian authorities failed to secure his early release. Serbia intends to bury the former commander with state honors, despite the mixed reactions to his death and the nature of his crimes.

   Why it matters

   Mladic oversaw atrocities during the Bosnian war as a commander of Bosnian Serb forces. His conviction for genocide established a legal record of the systematic killings and ethnic cleansing he directed. The tension between his international conviction and his status as a hero to some in Serbia remains a point of conflict.

   What is confirmed

   • Ratko Mladic died as a prisoner in The Hague.
   • Mladic was a Bosnian Serb general and commander found guilty of genocide.
   • The former general was referred to as the Butcher of Bosnia.
   • Serbia plans to bury Mladic with state honors.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Ratko Mladic died at age 83.
   • The Serbian president criticized the UN court for not releasing Mladic to die at home.

   What to watch next

   • Details of the state funeral arrangements in Serbia
   • Official statements from victims' groups regarding the state honors
   Sources used for this update (15)

   1. The New York Times — Ratko Mladic, Murderous ‘Butcher of Bosnia,’ Dies at 83
   2. The Guardian — Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies aged 84
   3. CNN — Ratko Mladić, Bosnian-Serb general dubbed, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia,’ dies aged 84
   4. The Washington Post — Ratko Mladic, Bosnian Serb commander found guilty of genocide, dies at 84
   5. BBC — Allan Little: I met dangerously fanatical Mladić early in Bosnian war
   6. AP News — Ratko Mladic, ex-Bosnian Serb warlord who oversaw atrocities, dies as a prisoner at 84
   7. Yahoo — People have mix reaction following the death of ex-Bosnian Serb warlord Mladic
   8. Al Jazeera — Obituary: Ratko Mladic, war criminal convicted of Srebrenica genocide, dies
   9. The Guardian — Ratko Mladić obituary
   10. France 24 — Serbian war criminal Ratko Mladic to be buried with 'state honours'
   11. CNN — Serbia says convicted war criminal Mladić to be buried with ‘highest honors’
   12. AP News — Serbia’s president criticizes UN court for not releasing war criminal Mladic to die at home
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