Bosco Ntaganda
The Hague said it has taken custody of warlord Bosco Ntaganda in Rwanda (Reuters)

The International Criminal Court in The Hague has taken custody of Rwandan warlord Bosco Ntaganda.

Nicknamed Terminator Tango or the Terminator, Ntaganda, 40, voluntarily turned himself in at the US embassy in Kigali.

"Bosco Ntaganda [has been] escorted by an ICC delegation to the ICC detention centre in The Hague," the ICC said.

The ICC issued two arrest warrants against Ntaganda who has been on its most wanted list since 2006. He faces 10 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A Rwandan native, Ntaganda has played a pivotal role in the conflict and instability that have torn through neighbouring DR Congo in recent years.

The accusations against him include use of child soldiers, murder, rape, sexual slavery and pillaging committed in DR Congo between 2002 and 2003. Ntaganda denies the charges.

He is believed to be behind the M23 rebel group that overran several cities in eastern DR Congo at the end of 2012.

M23 rebels are mainly former soldiers of the National Congress for the Defence of the People (CNDP), which Ntaganda headed.

The majority of them are Tutsi survivors of the Hutu genocide in Rwanda in 1994.

Ntaganda surprised Africa-watchers by showing up at the front door of the US embassy in Rwanda and asking to be transferred to the ICC.

"This is the first time that a suspect has surrendered himself voluntarily to be in the ICC's custody," The Hague said.

"Ntaganda will receive a medical visit and will appear as soon as possible before judges in the presence of a defence lawyer."

Rwanda Congress