THE HAGUE: A former Bosnian Serb army commander has been jailed for 17 years by The Hague war crimes tribunal after confessing to his role in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre of more than 7,000 Muslim men and boys.
Dragan Obrenovic, one of two former commanders to admit his role in Europe's worst massacre since the second World War, in a plea agreement in May, pleaded guilty at the UN court the same month to one count of crimes against humanity.
He admitted persecution on political, racial and religious grounds. Five other counts - including extermination and murder - were dismissed against Obrenovic, chief of staff of the Bosnian Serb army's Zvornik brigade.
Obrenovic was aware of the murders which took place in Srebrenica in July 1995 after Bosnian Serb forces captured the enclave, the judge said. He failed to prevent subordinates from taking part or to punish those responsible.
Judges said they had taken into account Obrenovic's remorse, admission of responsibility, guilty plea and co-operation with prosecutors.
The tribunal's two most wanted men, Bosnian Serb wartime leader Radovan Karadzic and his military commander, Ratko Mladic, are also accused of responsibility for the Srebrenica massacre as well as the siege of the Bosnian capital Sarajevo. Both remain at large.