12 sources·updated Sep 1, 1:30 PM

Ratko Mladic, former Bosnian Serb general, dies in prison at 84

Ratko Mladic, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," has died at 84 while serving a life sentence for genocide and war crimes in a U.N. prison in The Hague. His death has been confirmed by multiple sources, including U.N. officials.

Sources

dw.com·Sep 1, 1:09 PM
Mladic's death, Bosnia and Serbia's unfinished reckoning

Ratko Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army and convicted of genocide, died on August 27, 2026, prompting a mixed response, particularly in Serbia and Republika Srpska, where he was mourned as a national hero. Mladic's genocide conviction, particularly relating to the murder of approximately 8,000 men and boys in Srebrenica in 1995, was met with condemnation from the Bosniak and Croat majority in Bosnia's Federation, highlighting the ongoing divisions in national narratives. The European Commission criticized Serbia's plans for a state funeral with military honors for Mladic, stating that glorifying convicted war criminals contradicts fundamental European values.

theguardian.com·Aug 29, 4:00 AM
‘The butcher may be gone, but to many he is a hero’: victims condemn glorification of Mladić | Ratko Mladić | The Guardian

Gen Ratko Mladić, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died in prison after being responsible for the death of approximately 100,000 individuals during the Yugoslav Wars, including at least 8,000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys in the Srebrenica genocide. The atrocities committed under his command also led to the displacement of 2.7 million people and the rape of 20,000 to 50,000 women and girls. Despite international condemnation and his conviction for genocide, many Serbians view him as a hero, leading the Serbian government to announce plans for his burial with military honors.

aljazeera.com·Aug 28, 7:58 PM
Timeline: Life of Ratko Mladic, general turned ‘Butcher of Bosnia’ | Srebrenica genocide News | Al Jazeera

Ratko Mladic, the war criminal known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died in prison in The Hague at the age of 84 while serving a life sentence for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity related to the Srebrenica Genocide, where over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed in July 1995. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres reaffirmed the seriousness of Mladic's crimes following his death, while Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic criticized the UN war crimes court for not permitting Mladic's early release for medical treatment. Mladic was indicted on 20 offenses in 1995, which included genocide and mass expulsions, against the backdrop of the longest siege of a capital city in modern history that resulted in over 11,500 deaths in Sarajevo.

dw.com·Aug 27, 7:28 PM
The man behind Srebrenica: Ratko Mladic dies at 84

Ratko Mladic, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb army, was responsible for the genocide in Srebrenica in July 1995, where more than 8,300 unarmed Muslim boys and men were killed, marking it as the largest massacre in Europe since World War II. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) sentenced Mladic to life in prison in 2017 for his role in the genocide and other war crimes during the Bosnian War, which resulted in around 100,000 deaths and the displacement of 2.2 million people. Mladic, dubbed "the Butcher of the Balkans," consistently denied responsibility and viewed the Bosniaks as descendants of the Ottoman Turks, showing no empathy towards his victims.

dw.com·Aug 27, 7:28 PM
Ratko Mladic, the man behind Srebrenica massacre, dies at 84

Ratko Mladic, the former commander-in-chief of the Bosnian Serb army, was instrumental in the genocide at Srebrenica in July 1995, where over 8,300 unarmed Muslim boys and men were killed under his orders, marking the largest massacre in Europe since World War II. The 1992-1995 Bosnian war resulted in approximately 100,000 deaths, with 2.2 million people displaced, constituting half of Bosnia's population at the time; Mladic was also held responsible for war crimes during the 40-month siege of Sarajevo, which claimed around 11,000 lives, including over 1,600 children. In 2017, he was sentenced to life in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, having been dubbed "the Butcher of the Balkans" by international media for his role in these atrocities.

bbc.co.uk·Aug 27, 6:12 PM
Ratko Mladić: BBC correspondent on meeting dangerous fanatic early in Bosnian war

Bosnian Serb commander Ratko Mladić, known as the "Butcher of Bosnia" for atrocities committed during the Balkan wars in the 1990s, has died in prison. The violence during this period led to the displacement of approximately 40,000 people from their homes, as well as horrific acts of ethnic cleansing, mass murder, and genocide, particularly highlighted by the mass killings at Srebrenica. During the conflict, the cost of weapons was shockingly low, with Kalashnikovs available for $200 and hand grenades for just $1, which coincidentally was also the price of a fresh egg in besieged Sarajevo.

aljazeera.com·Aug 27, 4:56 PM
Obituary: Ratko Mladic, war criminal convicted of Srebrenica genocide, dies | Obituaries News | Al Jazeera

Ratko Mladic, the notorious former military commander known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died in The Hague at the age of 84 after being convicted of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes during the 1992-1995 Bosnia and Herzegovina war. His most infamous atrocity was the genocide in Srebrenica, where over 8,000 Bosniak men and boys were killed by his forces in July 1995, despite the area being declared a "safe zone" by the UN. Mladic was sentenced to life in prison for his role in the conflicts, and his death follows a request from Serbia for him to receive medical treatment outside prison due to serious health concerns.

theguardian.com·Aug 27, 2:21 PM
Ratko Mladić, the ‘Butcher of Bosnia’, dies aged 84 | Ratko Mladić | The Guardian

Ratko Mladić, the notorious Bosnian Serb general known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died at the age of 84 while serving a life sentence for genocide in a Hague prison, confirmed by a UN official and his lawyer. He was convicted for orchestrating the 1995 Srebrenica massacre, which resulted in the deaths of at least 8,000 Muslims and was part of a broader campaign that contributed to over 100,000 deaths and left more than 1 million people homeless during the Bosnian war. Mladić was arrested in Serbia in 2011 after 16 years on the run and was sentenced by a UN tribunal in 2017 for his role in war crimes, which included the siege of Sarajevo that killed approximately 10,000 people.

bbc.co.uk·Aug 27, 2:11 PM
Convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal Mladić dies aged 84

Ratko Mladić, a convicted Bosnian Serb war criminal known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," died at the age of 84 in a UN prison in The Hague. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, with his conviction upheld on appeal in 2021, and was serving time for atrocities including the deaths of over 10,000 people in Sarajevo and the massacre of 8,000 men and boys at Srebrenica. Despite a bid for release due to his declining health, the UN court determined he was receiving "comprehensive and compassionate treatment" in prison before his death.

bbc.co.uk·Aug 27, 1:48 PM
Ratko Mladić: The monstrous crimes of the 'Butcher of Bosnia'

Ratko Mladić, who died at 84, was the Bosnian Serb army commander known as the "Butcher of Bosnia," responsible for the brutal campaign of ethnic cleansing during the Yugoslav Wars, which resulted in the genocide of approximately 8,000 men and boys in Srebrenica and the death of 13,000 during the 1,425-day siege of Sarajevo. His actions included the use of military tactics that targeted Muslim neighborhoods and widespread atrocities against civilians, including executions and sexual violence. Despite the enormity of his crimes and the suffering inflicted on tens of thousands, he displayed no remorse during his trial, maintaining that "borders are drawn in blood" and sought to create an ethnically pure Greater Serbia.

npr.org·Aug 27, 1:32 PM
Ratko Mladic, ex-Bosnian Serb warlord, dies in prison at 84 : NPR

Ratko Mladic, the former Bosnian Serb military chief responsible for war crimes during the 1990s, died in prison at the age of 84, with reports indicating he passed away in a U.N. prison hospital in The Hague, Netherlands. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 for orchestrating atrocities, including the 1995 Srebrenica massacre where over 8,000 Muslim men and boys were killed, marking it as the only post-World War II case of genocide in Europe. Mladic was arrested in 2011 after years of evasion and was notorious for commanding forces responsible for the deaths of more than 100,000 people and creating over 1 million homeless during the conflict.

dw.com·Aug 27, 12:52 PM
Ex-Bosnian Serb military leader Ratko Mladic dead at 84

Bosnian Serb general Ratko Mladic, convicted of war crimes including genocide and crimes against humanity during Bosnia's 1992-95 war, has died in a prison hospital in the Hague at the age of 81 after suffering multiple strokes. He was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 for his role in the massacre of approximately 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica, the worst single atrocity in Europe since World War II, a verdict that was upheld on appeal in 2021. Described by former UN rights chief Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein as "the epitome of evil," Mladic infamously shouted "this is all lies, you are all liars" during his sentencing.