Purda was arrested on January 5 on a Serbian warrant over war crimes charges.

He left the prison accompanied by his attorney Josip Muselimovic and a representative of the Croatian Embassy to Bosnia and Herzegovina. He is expected to arrive in Croatia in the evening.

"I can only say that I'm happy because I'm going to my wife and kids," Purda briefly told press.

He was released on a decision of the Bosnian State Court, which was informed earlier today by the Serbian judiciary that it had dropped charges against Purda and its plea for his extradition.