A United Nations war crimes prosecutor has confirmed the death of a major suspect in the Rwandan genocide.

A statement said DNA tests had proved that remains found in a grave in Congo-Brazzaville were those of Augustin Bizimana.

The announcement follows last weekend's arrest in Paris of Félicien Kabuga, who had also been on the run after being indicted by an international tribunal for Rwanda.

Bizimana was the minister of defence at the time of the 1994 genocide.

Four years later he was indicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR).

He was alleged to be responsible for the murders of the former Prime Minister Agathe Uwilingiyimana, 10 Belgian UN peacekeepers and he was accused of organising the killing of many Tutsi civilians across the country.

After comparing DNA samples, the war crimes prosecutor has now confirmed that Bizimana has been dead since the year 2000.

Following last week’s arrest of Kabuga, the prosecutor says the search is still on for six other fugitives who are accused of genocide.