UPDF captures Kony commander
Mar 03, 2009
THE UPDF has captured a top commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Col. Thomas Kwoyelo, following a battle with the joint forces in the ongoing military operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
By Raymond Baguma
THE UPDF has captured a top commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Col. Thomas Kwoyelo, following a battle with the joint forces in the ongoing military operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kwoyelo, who is said to be the fourth in the LRA hierarchy, was captured in a battle at a place called Ukwa in Garamba yesterday.
He is the most senior commander to date captured by the UPDF since Operation Lighting Thunder was launched on December 14 after LRA leader Joseph Kony repeatedly balked at signing a peace agreement negotiated in Juba.
The army spokesperson, Maj. Felix Kulayigye, yesterday said on phone: “He was wounded and we have him alive. He is a prisoner of war and we are treating him from our hospital in Dungu.â€
Ukwa is located northeast of Camp Eskimo, one of the former LRA camps in the vast Garamba National Park in DR Congo.
Kwoyelo was shot in the stomach before he was captured. A UPDF officer, Sgt. Okwir, was credited with the capture of one the most wanted LRA commanders.
Kulayigye said during the battle, three LRA abductees were also rescued, while a UPDF soldier at the rank of a corporal was killed.
Details of casualties during the battle were still unclear by press time.
But Kulayigye said Kwoyelo had been captured along with LRA combatants who fought alongside him.
Kwoyelo also handed over his gun with 20 rounds of ammunition.
Col. Kwoyelo from Pabbo in Amuru district was the last LRA commander to move from northern Uganda to Southern Sudan after the UPDF declared a ceasefire in June 2006 to pave way for the Juba peace talks between the Government and the rebels.
He was notorious for his operations in Kitgum, Pader and Southern Sudan.
The army spokesperson added that in a separate battle on Monday, another LRA commander was shot dead and a gun with a magazine were recovered from him.
However, verification of the commander’s identity was still going on, Kulayigye said.
The army also announced that it had rescued over 300 abductees since the operation was launched and that the LRA hah been denied further abductions.
In March 2007, Kwoyelo was on the list of 35 most wanted people Uganda presented to the Tripartite Plus Joint Commission that the countries of the Great Lakes region had to act against. Others on the list included LRA leader Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Dominic Ongwen and Odhiambo Okot.
Otti has since been killed, while Odhiambo had last month indicated his desire to surrender to the joint forces.
THE UPDF has captured a top commander of the Lord’s Resistance Army, Col. Thomas Kwoyelo, following a battle with the joint forces in the ongoing military operation in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Kwoyelo, who is said to be the fourth in the LRA hierarchy, was captured in a battle at a place called Ukwa in Garamba yesterday.
He is the most senior commander to date captured by the UPDF since Operation Lighting Thunder was launched on December 14 after LRA leader Joseph Kony repeatedly balked at signing a peace agreement negotiated in Juba.
The army spokesperson, Maj. Felix Kulayigye, yesterday said on phone: “He was wounded and we have him alive. He is a prisoner of war and we are treating him from our hospital in Dungu.â€
Ukwa is located northeast of Camp Eskimo, one of the former LRA camps in the vast Garamba National Park in DR Congo.
Kwoyelo was shot in the stomach before he was captured. A UPDF officer, Sgt. Okwir, was credited with the capture of one the most wanted LRA commanders.
Kulayigye said during the battle, three LRA abductees were also rescued, while a UPDF soldier at the rank of a corporal was killed.
Details of casualties during the battle were still unclear by press time.
But Kulayigye said Kwoyelo had been captured along with LRA combatants who fought alongside him.
Kwoyelo also handed over his gun with 20 rounds of ammunition.
Col. Kwoyelo from Pabbo in Amuru district was the last LRA commander to move from northern Uganda to Southern Sudan after the UPDF declared a ceasefire in June 2006 to pave way for the Juba peace talks between the Government and the rebels.
He was notorious for his operations in Kitgum, Pader and Southern Sudan.
The army spokesperson added that in a separate battle on Monday, another LRA commander was shot dead and a gun with a magazine were recovered from him.
However, verification of the commander’s identity was still going on, Kulayigye said.
The army also announced that it had rescued over 300 abductees since the operation was launched and that the LRA hah been denied further abductions.
In March 2007, Kwoyelo was on the list of 35 most wanted people Uganda presented to the Tripartite Plus Joint Commission that the countries of the Great Lakes region had to act against. Others on the list included LRA leader Joseph Kony, Vincent Otti, Dominic Ongwen and Odhiambo Okot.
Otti has since been killed, while Odhiambo had last month indicated his desire to surrender to the joint forces.