Serbia announces the arrest of Ratko Mladic, Europe's most wanted man, accused of perpetrating war crimes in Bosnia.
Ratko Mladic, the Bosnian Serb general wanted for alleged war crimes committed during the 1992-95 Bosnian conflict, has been arrested, Serbia has announced.
"On behalf of the Republic of Serbia we announce that Ratko Mladic has been arrested," Boris Tadic, the country's president, said.
"Today we closed one chapter of our difficult history that will bring us one step closer to full reconciliation in the region.
"All criminals must face justice," he said.
Tadic said the 69-year-old would be extradited to the UN war crimes tribunal in the Hague, but did not give a time frame.
Catherine Ashton, the European foreign policy chief, however, said Mladic was expected to be extradited in nine or 10 days.
Local media had first reported that a man who identified himself as Milorad Komadic had been detained and was believed to be Mladic.
According to Al Jazeera's Aljosa Milenkovic, Mladic was arrested at 05.30am [03.30 GMT] on Thursday. He was clean shaved, looked very much to himself, but much older. His right arm was apparently paralysed and he did not resist arrest.
Belgrade's B92 radio said he was arrested in a village close to the northern Serbian town of Zrenjanin.
An unnamed police official said the fugitive was found in a farmhouse owned by a relative, and had been co-operative during the arrest.
Bakir Izetbegovic, the Muslim member of Bosnia's three-person presidency, said the arrest was conducted in co-operation with Bosnian security agencies, but did not give further details.
Genocide charges
The arrest was welcomed by world leaders with a spokesman for EU's Ashton describing it as "an important step forward for Serbia and for international justice".
