Monrovia, Liberia – A Liberian man has been arrested in London on suspicion of war crimes committed during the Liberian civil wars.

The 45-year-old man who is yet to be named, is accused of offences relating to the country’s first and second civil wars between 1989 and 2003.

The BBC quotes London Metro Police as saying Officers from their War Crimes Team detained the man at about 07:20 British Summer Time on Thursday.

The force said the suspect remained in custody and officers were searching an address in south-east London.

The man has been held on suspicion of war crimes contrary to Section 51 of the International Criminal Court Act 2001, according to Scotland Yard.

About 250,000 people died during the two civil wars in Liberia, from 1989-1996 and 1999-2003.

Liberia’s former president Charles Taylor is already in jail in England for committing war crimes in neighbouring Sierra Leone.