Thousands gather for funeral of convicted Bosnian war criminal Mladic

Several thousand people attended the funeral of Ratko Mladic in Serbia, reflecting the polarized views that continue to surround the former military leader's legacy in the region. Mladic, who commanded Bosnian Serb forces during the brutal 1992-1995 war, was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, including his role in the Srebrenica massacre.

The turnout underscored the deep divisions that persist in the Balkans nearly three decades after the conflict's end. While many in the international community and among Bosnia's Muslim population view Mladic as a war criminal responsible for tens of thousands of deaths, significant segments of the Serbian population have maintained a different narrative around his role in the conflict.

Mladic died in prison in 2023 at age 81, while serving a life sentence. His conviction and imprisonment had been sources of tension between Serbia and neighboring Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as with the broader international community. The large attendance at his funeral demonstrated that reconciliation efforts in the region continue to face significant challenges, with competing historical narratives about the Balkan wars remaining deeply embedded in local communities.