By Will Ross BBC correspondent in Kampala

The army offensive may continue, despite the LRA annoucement

The rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), a notorious armed group operating in northern Uganda, have announced a ceasefire.

The LRA has abducted tens of thousands of young Ugandans who are forced to carry out atrocities against the civilian population.

The Ugandan Government has been on a major military offensive against the rebels while at the same time calling for a ceasefire and talks.

In a statement read by religious leaders on a local radio station on Sunday, the LRA declared an immediate ceasefire.

The LRA says it will stop abducting civilians, ambushing vehicles and attacking government troops.

This announcement of an unconditional ceasefire follows a meeting on Saturday between religious leaders and senior rebels of the LRA.

The religious leaders said that during the meeting they spoke for over an hour via satellite phone with the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony.

Offer welcomed

This announcement of a ceasefire was swiftly welcomed by Lieutenant General Salim Saleh, a member of the government's peace team.

Lieutenant General Saleh said arrangements are being made to organize face-to-face discussions with the rebels, and said he will personally take part in those talks.

The rebels wanted to overthrow President Yoweri Museveni

However the government has not announced an end to its offensive against the rebels.

This is not the first time that the LRA has announced a ceasefire.

In August last year, a similar announcement was made, but the Ugandan Government insisted the rebels gather in specific locations before a ceasefire could be implemented - something the rebels refused to do.

The announcement of a new ceasefire and the government's warm response is being welcomed as a positive sign of hope for an end to the 16-year war.

In what they describe as an attempt to overthrow the government of President Yoweri Museveni, LRA rebels have abducted into their ranks an estimated 15,000 young civilians, and they have forced almost a million northern Ugandans out of their homes and into displacement camps.