BELGRADE, Serbia 

A Bosnia and Herzegovina court sentenced three former Croat soldiers from the Croatian Defense Council (HVO) to prison Friday for committing war crimes against civilians during the war between 1992 and 1995. 

The court said the former soldiers were sentenced for forcible detention, exile and torture of the Bosniak population in the city of Mostar and the rape of two women in 1993.

Nedzad Tinjak was sentenced to 12 years, Jure Kordic received three years and Drazen Lovric was given a one-year sentence.

It was reported that six HVO members who were tried in the same case were acquitted.

The Bosnian War was sparked by the break-up of Yugoslavia, which led Bosnia to declare independence in February 1992.