The first war crimes trial against a commander of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels has started in the northern town of Gulu. Thomas Kwoyelo appeared before Uganda's International Crimes Division court, more than two years after his capture. He denied 53 counts of murder, hostage taking, destruction of property and causing injury, the AFP news agency reports. The LRA are notorious for forcing boys to fight and using girls as sex slaves. Amnesty rejected It is listed by the US as a terrorist organisation. AFP reports that at the opening of the trial, Uganda's main judge Yorokamu Bamwiine said: "Ugandans and the international community have a feeling that justice must be done and it is there to be done." The government had earlier rejected his application for amnesty. He was arrested during a raid in neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo in 2009. At least 30,000 people have been killed in the 24-year conflict between the LRA and the Ugandan government. Source: BBC