Infantry Division Back To Fight LRA

By Emmy AllioThe UPDF has re-established the 5th infantry division to be based in Corner-Kilak in Pader district and is charged with fighting Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army, security sources said yesterday.The new division is to be commanded by Col. John Mugume, a former deputy commander of the 1st division in Kampala. On the average, a division of the army has 10,000 soldiers.The over half a dozen army divisions were scaled down to four nearly a decade ago when thousands of soldiers were demobilised. But many of the demobilised soldiers have been re-absorbed into the army and are serving in the reserve force.Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza said the new division will supplement the work of the reserve forces which have been battling Kony rebels in the north.“The reserve forces were unable to contain the rebels alone. There is need to beef them up with the regular forces. Zonal forces will also be established to deny the rebels free movement,” Bantariza said.Meanwhile, the army in Gulu said Kony rebels early yesterday attacked and looted drugs from a dispensary at the headquarters of Odek sub-county, Omoro county in Gulu district, but dropped their loot following a hot pursuit by the UPDF.“We have had a peaceful north for some days now. The rebels are on the run from our units. Only this morning, the group that attempted to loot drugs fled and dropped their loot due to pressure from us,” said Lt. Paddy Ankunda, the 4th division spokesman.He said the only other contact the army had had with the rebels was last Sunday between Pajule and Corner-Kilak on Lira-Kitgum road when seven rebels were killed and seven guns recovered.Ankunda said the rebels belonged to the group that ambushed a lorry and killed six passengers. He refuted media reports that 13 passengers had died.Residents in Gulu town yesterday said life was normal despite the expiry of an ultimatum issued by the rebels for the UN and aid agencies to quit northern Uganda and southern Sudan by August 14.The rebels telephoned the IRC offices in Kampala on Thursday and demanded that their statement be broadcast in exchange for the release of employees of some aid agencies they had taken hostage.Ends