Ratko Mladic led ethnic cleansing, war crimes tri

Former Bosnian Serb army commander Ratko Mladic intended to “ethnically cleanse” Bosnia, the opening day of his war crimes trial has heard.

Gen Mladic faces 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, including genocide, in connection with the brutal 1992-95 Bosnian war.

Prosecutors in The Hague said they would show his hand in the crimes.

He has called the accusations “monstrous” and the court has entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Gen Mladic is accused of orchestrating the massacre of more than 7,000 Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) boys and men at Srebrenica in 1995.

He is also charged in connection with the 44-month siege of Sarajevo during which more than 10,000 people died.