THE HAGUE: Ailing Serb leader Vojislav Seselj has been released from the UN Yugoslav war crimes tribunal and has left the Netherlands en route for Serbia, the court said on Wednesday.

The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) last week ordered his release so he could return home for cancer treatment as he awaits a verdict on alleged war crimes during the Balkan wars.

“Vojislav Seselj has now departed the Netherlands on provisional release,” the ICTY said in a statement. Judges granted his release “due to the deteriorated health state of the accused and to give him the opportunity to get treatment.”