UNITED NATIONS, Dec 10: Former Croatian General Ante Gotovina was transferred on Friday to the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia at The Hague, where he faces charges of committing murder and inhumane acts against the Serb populace during the conflict that engulfed the Balkans in the 1990s, the United Nations announced here.

He was arrested last week in the Canary Islands by Spanish authorities after having evaded justice for four years.

Mr Gotovina is charged with murder and destruction of cities, which took place under his command and control, against Serbs after an Aug 1995 Croatian offensive.

The operation was intended to establish Croatian authority over the Krajina region of Croatia. According to the indictment, another purpose of the operation was the forcible and permanent removal of Serbs from that region.

During and after the offensive, Croatian forces subjected the Serbs to persecution while plundering and destroying their property, according to the indictment.