Thousands attend funeral of war criminal Ratko Mladic in Serbia
News Source
β’Mon, 07 Sep 2026 17:52:47 +0000
π° What Happened
Thousands of people gathered in Serbia for the funeral of Ratko Mladic. Mladic was a war criminal convicted of genocide. He was found guilty of crimes against Bosniak Muslims during the 1990s Bosnian war. Yet many Serbs still hail him as a hero. Al Jazeera's reporter covered the event from Belgrade. The large crowd showed how divided the country still is over that war.
π The Backstory
Ratko Mladic led Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian war in the 1990s. An international court convicted him of genocide and crimes against humanity. His crimes included the massacre in Srebrenica. He spent years on the run before being caught. In Serbia, some still honour him and downplay his guilt. The funeral shows the deep split over how that war is remembered.
π― Why It Matters
How a country treats its war criminals says a lot about its past. Honouring a genocide convict can keep old wounds open. It affects peace and trust between nations.
Thousands of people gathered in Serbia for the funeral of Ratko Mladic. Mladic was a war criminal convicted of genocide. He was found guilty of crimes against Bosniak Muslims during the 1990s Bosnian war. Yet many Serbs still hail him as a hero. Al Jazeera's reporter covered the event from Belgrade. The large crowd showed how divided the country still is over that war.
Ratko Mladic led Bosnian Serb forces during the Bosnian war in the 1990s. An international court convicted him of genocide and crimes against humanity. His crimes included the massacre in Srebrenica. He spent years on the run before being caught. In Serbia, some still honour him and downplay his guilt. The funeral shows the deep split over how that war is remembered.
How a country treats its war criminals says a lot about its past. Honouring a genocide convict can keep old wounds open. It affects peace and trust between nations.