The president of the Democratic Republic of Congo has called for the arrest of a serving army general wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes.

Under international pressure, President Joseph Kabila on Wednesday ordered the arrest of General Bosco Ntaganda.

Last week Ntaganda, a former rebel leader, ordered soldiers under his command in eastern Congo to defect and help bolster his personal security.

President Kabila traveled to the region this week to convince the soldiers who defected to return to the army.

The ICC indicted Ntaganda for war crimes committed during the country's civil war, including recruiting children to fight. At the time, Ntaganda was deputy commander of an armed political group called the Union of Congolese Patriots.

A 2009 peace deal called for the rebels to be integrated into Congo's national forces.

President Kabila had previously been reluctant to arrest Ntaganda, saying he was critical to the peace process in Congo's restive eastern region.