The 1991 massacre in Vukovar was one of the worst of the conflict

The executions were carried out at a pig farm in a hamlet near Vukovar, during a three-month siege of the town.

The 14 Serbs convicted in Belgrade were given terms ranging from five to 20 years. Two suspects were acquitted.

The landmark trial is being seen as a test of the ability of Serbia's courts to deal with war crimes cases.

Hospital seizure

The court had heard how the defendants seized Croat prisoners from a hospital in Vukovar after Yugoslav forces entered the town amid heavy fighting in November 1991.

VUKOVAR 20-YEAR TERMS Miroljub Vujovic Stanko Vujanovic Milan Lancuzanin Predrag Dragovic Predrag Milojevic Ivan Atanasijevic Djordje Sosic Miroslav Djankovic What happened in Vukovar

The prisoners were taken to a pig farm, where they were executed in what became known as the Ovcara massacre.

Eight of the suspects were given the maximum 20-year term for the killings.

Three men were sentenced to 15 years, one man to 12 years, a woman to nine years and another man to five years.

Handing down his verdict, Judge Vesko Krstajic said: "They are guilty as they, acting as members of the territorial defence from 20 November to 21 November, 1991, at the Ovcara farm, tortured, inhumanly treated and murdered at least 200 prisoners of war."

Lawyers for those convicted have said they will appeal against the verdicts.

Three senior Serb officers are also being tried before the international war crimes tribunal in The Hague for suspected war crimes committed in Vukovar.

More than 1,000 civilians died during the siege and bombardment of the eastern Croatian town.