Kinshasa - An indicted war criminal is playing a leading role in the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo, reports say.

A Congolese army paper suggests ex-rebel leader Gen Bosco Ntaganda has a major part in the command chain, a reporter in the country says.

The UN-Congolese force is fighting Hutu rebels in the eastern DR Congo.
 

The force says Congolese authorities have given assurances that Gen Ntaganda is not involved in joint operations.

Gen Ntaganda - known as "the Terminator" - is wanted by the International Criminal Court for alleged forced enrolment of child soldiers in 2002-2003.

A high-ranking Congolese army official confirmed the former rebel leader was involved in the operations, describing him as an adviser to the operations commander.

The UN's peacekeeping force in DR Congo, which is known as Monuc, denied the report.

Earlier this year, when the Congolese government said he could be useful in bringing peace to the eastern DR Congo, Monuc said it would not participate in any operation involving an indicted war criminal.

Gen Ntaganda formerly served as chief of staff to Congolese rebel leader Laurent Nkunda in the Tutsi-dominated rebel militia, the Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP).