UPDF shells Sudan border

Mar 29, 2002

INCREASED military activity along the Sudan-Uganda border and the defeaning sounds from southern Sudan yesterday indicated intensified fighting inside southern Sudan.

By Vision ReportersINCREASED military activity along the Sudan-Uganda border and the defeaning sounds from southern Sudan yesterday indicated intensified fighting inside southern Sudan.Sources in Kitgum said the army on Wednesday could have began shelling Kony rebel bases in Magwi and north of Torit.The sources described the shelling as “softening” of the Kony rebels. But civilian sources in Kitgum district, in areas bordering Sudan, said the UPDF began their hunt for LRA early on Wednesday.Defence minister Amama Mbabazi would not confirm the offensive yesterday (Thursday) but said he would call the press today to explain the operation. Major Shaban Bantariza, the army spokesman and military assistant to Mbabazi, yesterday declined to give details. “It is my minister to comment on that,” he said.Sources said the army was under pressure to begin the operation in the border areas of Ngomoromo and Bibia-Nimule sector because it is feared small groups of rebels could enter the country and cause havoc.On Wednesday, President Yoweri Museveni arrived in Gulu where he reportedly met with the acting army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini, the overall operations commander of the Sudan mission, Brig. Nyakairima Aronda and Military Intelligence chief Lt. Col. Noble Mayombo.The army recently intensified helicopter gunship patrols along the Sudan-Uganda border to track down Kony rebels, sources at the border said.The Sudan operation aims at rescuing about 6,000 women and children in captivity of Joseph Kony, whose rebel organisation is accused by Unicef of abducting about 10,000 children from northern Uganda.The children were herded into Sudan to be used as soldiers, sex slaves and porters.On March 5, Sudan and Uganda signed a protocol which permitted the UPDF to launch limited operations against LRA in southern Sudan. The Sudan People’s Armed Forces (SPAF) have also launched an attack on the LRA.The Sudanese Charge d’Affaires in Kampala, Mohammad Surajjudin, said it was in retaliation of LRA raids on SPAF units in and around Nisitu, southeast of Juba city.In separate attacks on March 23 and 24, Kony rebels killed about 30 SPAF soldiers, among them a colonel and a major.UPDF’s Capt. Khelil Magara died in the raid and another captain is missing. In Gulu, a small group of LRA rebels have continued to cause havoc. On Tuesday, they raided Wii-Agweng village on the Gulu-Moroto Road, killing three homeguards and two civilians. Bantariza said the Reserve Force Commander in the north, Lt. Col. Abiriga, was pursuing the rebels.“That is really a small group,” he said. In Lira, deputy RDC Johnson Butamanya warned of fresh rebel recruitment in Kioga, Otuke and Dokolo counties.

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