Resurgent LRA Kill 20 in Country
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Wednesday, October 07, 2009
An estimated 3,000 Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have crossed back to the Democratic Republic of Congo from the Central African Republic,
Chief Sasa of Ango region in north western Congo told Daily Monitor on telephone that the rebels, who are advancing towards the Sudan border, had killed 26 people.
He said a group of LRA fighters had camped in Digba, about 15 kilometres from the Congo-Sudan border.
"They are coming from Central Africa Republic, going to Sudan," he said, adding: "They are here in my territory and they are openly moving on the road."
LRA fled to Central African Republic (CAR) to seek safe haven after the army attacked and destroyed their camps in Garamba National Park in December.
Mr Sasa said 26 people had been killed since Wednesday when they crossed to the north east of DRC.
The rebels, according to Mr Sasa, were dressed in new uniform, boots and carried weapons.
Chief Sasa said the rebels have set up camps between River Uele in north east and River Mbomu which borders CAR.
"If you move along River Uele, there are many LRA rebels," he said.
The UPDF attacked LRA bases in Garamba in a joint operation with the Sudan People's Liberation Army and the DR Congo army. The army pulled out two months later after the rebels fled to CAR, leaving the responsibility of chasing the LRA remnants to the UN peace keeping mission in Congo, Monuc and the DRC army.
However, with the help of intelligence squads maintained by the UPDF in the DR Congo, the forces followed LRA in CAR where they have killed and captured three senior rebel commanders.
When contacted yesterday, Army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye said the information is not true.
"We know the rebels are still in CAR," Lt. Col. Kulayigye said.
The Chief of Defence Forces, Gen. Aronda Nyakairima who was last week addressing the Ugandan peacekeepers in Somalia, said LRA is not a threat to Uganda and described its leader, Joseph Kony as a 'wild beast'.