World News
Body of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic to be flown to Serbia
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic says security forces are preparing for tens of thousands to attend the former Bosnian Serb commander's funeral.
The short version
- The body of Ratko Mladic, who died in The Hague while serving a life sentence for genocide, will be returned to Serbia on Thursday.
- Serbian authorities anticipate tens of thousands of attendees at his funeral, creating substantial security challenges.
- Mladic's family is expected to announce specific funeral arrangements in the coming days.
Key facts
- Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic announced that the body of Ratko Mladic will be flown to Serbia after being released by the U.N. court in The Hague.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Mladic died in a hospital in the Netherlands while serving a life sentence following his 2017 conviction for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Serbian police and state security services estimate that tens of thousands of people could attend Mladic's funeral.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- Mladic was convicted by a U.N. tribunal for orchestrating the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 8,000 Muslims and the siege of Sarajevo during the 1992-1995 Bosnian war.[Associated Press · ABC News]
What remains uncertain
- The precise date, location, and schedule for Mladic's funeral have not yet been announced by his family.[Associated Press · ABC News]
- The U.N. court in The Hague did not immediately provide comment confirming the release of Mladic's body.[Associated Press · ABC News]
Sources
- Body of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic to be flown to Serbia, president saysAssociated Press
- Body of convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic to be flown to Serbia, president saysABC News - International