Serbian ex-President acquitted of Kosovo war crimes

Former Serbian president Milan Milutinovic has been cleared of all war crimes charges stemming from the 1999 crackdown on Kosovo Albanians.

He was on trial at the International Tribunal at the Hague along with five other senior Serb officials.

Following the verdict Milutinovic, the head of Serbia in 1997 – 2002, was released in the courtroom.

His co-defendants were found guilty and received prison sentences ranging from 15 to 22 years.

The trial is the first to be completed for war crimes committed by Serb forces during the Kosovo conflict.