The Hague  - The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague Luis Moreno Ocampo on Monday renewed his call for the arrest of Joseph Kony, leader of the rebel group Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), and his commanders.

The ICC said the decision to issue the call was taken following renewed attacks by the LRA against civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

On September 17 2008 the LRA attacked Congolese villages in the Haut Uelé District of the Dungu Territory.

In its statement on Monday, the ICC said the LRA had looted and burned property on a large scale, abducted students and killed dozens of civilians.

"Tens of thousands have been displaced", the ICC said.

According to the ICC prosecutor, Kony and commanders Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen are guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity. The ICC statement said that Kony had issued orders to abduct more than 1,000 persons to expand the ranks of the LRA at the end of 2007.

"The arrest of Kony is long overdue," the ICC said.

The LRA has been responsible for violence in the north of Uganda for several decades, as part of a campaign to establish a Christian theocracy. The rebels are allegedly guilty of mass rape, killing of civilians and recruiting child soldiers. (dpa)