A Lord’s Resistance Army Commander Surrenders

The man who identified himself as Dominic Ongwen surrendered to the US forces in the Central African republic

Ongwen is wanted by the International Criminal Court on suspicion of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

He is considered by some to be the deputy commander to LRA chief Joseph Kony.

US State Department Spokeswoman Jen Psaki said the man claimed he was an LRA defector.

"In co-ordination with the AURTF, US military forces took custody of an individual claiming to be a defector from the LRA. That individual later identified himself as Ongwen," Jen told said.

Efforts to fully identify the man are still going on

If the individual proves to be Ongwen, his defection would represent a historic blow to the LRA's command structure.

Ugandan Army spokesman Paddy Ankunda said that the man claiming to be Ongwen was being held in the town of Obo in the east of the Central African Republic.

Ongwen is said to have commanded the LRA's Sinia Brigade which has been blamed for some of the worst atrocities the group carried out in northern Uganda.

Joseph Kony and the LRA have waged war in Uganda and the region for more than two decades.

By Bonareri Samaha