The alleged leader of a Democratic Republic of Congo militia has been turned over to the International Criminal Court to face war crimes charges.
In a statement Thursday, court officials say Germain Katanga -- also known as "Simba" -- is being transferred to the court headquarters in The Hague, Netherlands, where he will stand trial.
Katanga is the alleged commander of the Patriotic Resistance Force of Ituri. He is charged with three counts of crimes against humanity -- which include murder and sexual slavery -- and six counts of war crimes stemming from a 2003 attack on a village in the Congolese Ituri territory.
Katanga is the second Congolese national in the custody of the international court. Last year, alleged militia leader Thomas Lubanga Dyilo was arrested and transferred to the court.
ICC prosecutor Luis Moreno-Ocampo said Katanga's transfer to the Hague court shows other suspected war criminals in the DRC that they will be prosecuted.
The ICC says the situation in the DRC is one of four currently under consideration by the court. The body also is investigating cases in Uganda, Sudan and the Central African Republic.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
