Uganda is accused of massacring Congolese civilians

The Hague-based court also found Uganda responsible for human rights abuses.

DR Congo has accused Uganda of invading its territory and massacring civilians. Several African states were involved in the war, which left 3m people dead.

Uganda says its troops entered Congolese territory to pursue Ugandan rebels.

DR Congo brought the case saying its sovereignty had been violated, and demanding compensation for plundered minerals and other resources.

'Terror'

"We are very happy that international law has finally listened to our case," Congolese government spokesman Henri Mova Sakanyi told Reuters news agency.

He added that Kinshasa would seek between $6bn and $10bn in compensation from Uganda.

Court rules allow states to negotiate compensation between themselves. The judges said the amount sought by DR Congo was "appropriate".

Uganda's Foreign Minister in charge of International Affairs Okello Oryem told Reuters news agency that Uganda "did not deserve" the judgement.

"We went in Congo to pursue rebels, we were not the only people in Congo, there were many other militia groups," he said.

But ICJ president Shi Jiuyong told the court Ugandan troops had "created an atmosphere of terror pervading the life of the Congolese people".

Uganda pulled its troops out of eastern DR Congo in 2003, but Kinshasa says its neighbour still supplies arms to Ugandan warlords who continue to steal the country's natural resources of gold, diamonds and timber.