By Dennis Ojwee
and Justin Moro in Lira
DISASTER has once again hit St. Mary’s College Aboke.

LRA rebels on Saturday killed a teacher, Geoffrey Ogwang, and his son. They were among the 17 civilians the rebels executed in separate attacks in Apac and Lira districts. Ogwang was killed in Aboke subcounty in Kole county.

The rebels abducted 152 Aboke schoolgirls after a gruesome attack on the school six years ago.

The rebels also set ablaze about 50 huts, said Drani Dradiga, the Resident District Commissioner for Apac and chairperson of the district’s security committee. The rebels have burnt hundreds of huts in the northern region since they launched the rebellion about 17 years ago.

Sister Rachele Fassere and another nun chased after the rebels for over 40 kilometres in an attempt to get the girls freed. Only 109 were freed. Thirty escaped in the bush during the long walk through swamps in the middle of the night. The rest were taken into southern Sudan where they were either made soldiers or wives of rebel commanders. Some remain in captivity.

Dradiga said six people were killed in the latest attack in Acokora and Ajul parishes, Otwal sub-county, Oyam North county, on Friday night.

Nine other civilians were killed during the Sunday night attack at Acokora parish, also in Otwal.

Dradiga said the LRA group was led by commander Odyambo. They crossed into Otwal from Odek subcounty, Omoro county in Gulu.

Lt. Paddy Ankunda, the spokesman of the UPDF 4th Division, said 11 civilians were killed and several huts set ablaze.

Drani Dradiga said about 3,000 people had camped at Aboke sub-county headquarters by Monday. They are desperate for food, shelter, clothing, drugs and other essentials.

He called upon Government and non-governmental organisations and donor agencies to come to the rescue of the displaced.

Ankunda said another two people were killed on Monday when a group of rebels raided Ogur in Erute north constituency, Lira.

He said the rebels were repulsed by the UPDF.

Meanwhile, Ali Mao reports that the death toll may have hit 24 in the Otwal attack in Apac district, the LC3 chairman only identified as Owiny said yesterday.

A resident, Jacob Ocira, identified the dead as Odongo Ameny, Caeser Otim, Isaac Angim, Odongo and Daniel Okullo, among others.

In another development, the LRA also ambushed an Isuzu pick-up truck on Lira-Kotido Road, killing two people.

One of the dead was identified as Kassim Bagi, a Congolese national. Two people, one of them an unidentified student of Lango College, were abducted.

The ambush occurred at Ikwe in Orum on October 12.
Ends