SARAJEVO - A court in Sarajevo on Thursday sentenced a former Bosnian Serb soldier to 10 years in jail for raping a Muslim woman at the beginning of the country's 1990s inter-ethnic war.

It is estimated that more than 20,000 women, mostly Muslims, were raped during the war in Bosnia that claimed 100,000 lives, with sexual assault used as a "weapon of war". "Krsto Dostic was found guilty for crimes against humanity and this court sentences him to 10 years in prison," the judge Mira Smajlovic said in her verdict at the tribunal in Sarajevo.

Dostic raped his victim "at least twice" between April and August 1992, as Bosnian Serb forces attacked the Muslim population in the eastern region of Foca, Smajlovic said. A huge number of Muslim women were detained, raped and tortured for months in the town of Foca after the beginning of the 1992-1995 war.

On the first occasion, Dostic took the victim, who testified at the trial, from her home to a cabin, leaving her kids at home.

"Even though she opposed, saying that she was pregnant, he did not give up, he committed the rape and told her not to tell anyone, threatening to kill her and her children," the judge said.

He raped her at least once again at her home.

As well as the jail term, the court also ordered Dostic to compensate his victim by paying her 20,000 euros ($22,000).