Thousands attend funeral service for ex-Bosnian Serb commander Mladić

Several thousand people gathered outside the Church of St Luke the Evangelist in Belgrade on September 7 for the funeral service of Ratko Mladić, the former commander of the Bosnian Serb Army, Russian state news agency reports.

People continued to arrive at the church, with many carrying portraits of Mladić and symbols associated with various units of the Army of Republika Srpska.

Serbian media reported that Serbian Patriarch Porfirije would conduct the funeral service.

Mladić died in a United Nations detention facility in The Hague. His body was brought to Belgrade on September 3.

His son, Darko Mladić, later said his father had effectively been killed in detention because of inadequate medical treatment and the use of powerful medication.

Mladić is due to be buried at Topčider Cemetery, where his daughter's grave is located.

By Aghakazim Guliyev