Ratko Mladić, the former Bosnian Serb military leader convicted of genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, has died at the age of 84. His death was confirmed by a UN official. Mladić died in the hospital ward of the United Nations Detention Facility in The Hague, where he was serving a life sentence.
Mladić was convicted in 2017 for his role in the wars that tore apart the former Yugoslavia between 1992 and 1995. The sentence was upheld on appeal in 2021. He had been undergoing palliative care in prison.
Known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," Mladić evaded capture for 16 years after the Bosnian War. He was eventually apprehended in rural Serbia in 2011 and brought to trial at The Hague.
In May, a UN court rejected a request for Mladić's release from detention, acknowledging his dire health condition but stating he was receiving comprehensive care.