UPDF captures more Kony rebels
Jan 13, 2009
THE UPDF has captured more LRA fighters in the on-going military offensive in the north-east of the DR Congo, where the army is engaged in a regional military offensive against the rebels.
By Henry Mukasa
THE UPDF has captured more LRA fighters in the on-going military offensive in the north-east of the DR Congo, where the army is engaged in a regional military offensive against the rebels.
The commander of the operation code-named Lightning Thunder, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said yesterday that the UPDF engaged a group led by LRA second-in-command Okot Odhiambo, 30km north of Doruma on Monday.
“We attacked them and killed two and captured two. It was not an ambush. We are now attacking them,†Kankiriho said by telephone from Dungu, the tactical base of the Ugandan, Congolese and Sudanese forces in the Congo.
This brings to eight the number of LRA fighters captured and 38 killed since the offensive was launched on December 14, 2008. Over 21 rebels have surrendered to the allies in various parts of Congo and South Sudan and nine captives rescued.
“We have reached a stage of ‘search and destroy’ for fighters and rescue for captives. We rescue the abductees and the combatants who want to fight us, we engage them,†Kankiriho explained.
The commander said after the battle, two sub-machine guns, four full magazines, two empty magazines and two Sudanese uniforms were recovered.
In another battle on Sunday, Kankiriho said four rebels were killed south of Lagoro. One was captured, two women rescued north of Doruma, while another rebel surrendered with his gun at Yambio in Sudan.
Kankiriho explained that the joint forces had tightened their noose around Kony and his scattered fighters in the vast and densely- forested Garamba National Park in Congo.
“You think he is asking for ceasefire for nothing? The man is under immense pressure. Big, big pressure. We shall get him,†he stressed.
He said the guns recovered, the rebels killed, documents collected and the food discovered and destroyed increased each day, indicating that the reclusive rebel leader’s end was near.
Kankiriho said that on Sunday, as UPDF troops continued combing the 15-square mile former base of the rebels called Camp Swahili, vital documents and gadgets were recovered.
He listed the items as a laptop, a pair of binoculars, an inverter, five remote control units, a DVD remote control and a video tape.
Others were a rubber- stamp and pad for Kony, an ink bottle, five sacks of washing soap, 20 bags of rice, sacks of sim-sim and peace talks documents.
Asked what documents were recovered on the laptop computer, Kankiriho replied: “I get these things and give them to technical people of intelligence to study.â€
He declined to disclose the whereabouts of LRA leader Joseph Kony, arguing that this would pre-empt army manoeuvres and send the Kony further underground.
He advised the critics of the military offensive to wait for photographs that show the recent successes.
Meanwhile, on Monday the Central African Republic (CAR) began deploying more troops on its border with Congo to guard against incursions by the LRA.
“The president has agreed to support the Ugandan army in the campaign against Joseph Kony’s rebels,†said CAR defence minister, Jean Francis Bozize, who is the son of President Francois Bozize.
The DRC government said last week that it had received reports that a group of LRA rebels were about to enter CAR.
However, Kankiriho clarified that the group was composed of families of rebel commanders and a few fighters guarding them, led by the ailing LRA deputy leader Okot Odhiambo.
In February and March last year, rebels led by Kony entered CAR and kidnapped about 150 people and looted homes.
THE UPDF has captured more LRA fighters in the on-going military offensive in the north-east of the DR Congo, where the army is engaged in a regional military offensive against the rebels.
The commander of the operation code-named Lightning Thunder, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, said yesterday that the UPDF engaged a group led by LRA second-in-command Okot Odhiambo, 30km north of Doruma on Monday.
“We attacked them and killed two and captured two. It was not an ambush. We are now attacking them,†Kankiriho said by telephone from Dungu, the tactical base of the Ugandan, Congolese and Sudanese forces in the Congo.
This brings to eight the number of LRA fighters captured and 38 killed since the offensive was launched on December 14, 2008. Over 21 rebels have surrendered to the allies in various parts of Congo and South Sudan and nine captives rescued.
“We have reached a stage of ‘search and destroy’ for fighters and rescue for captives. We rescue the abductees and the combatants who want to fight us, we engage them,†Kankiriho explained.
The commander said after the battle, two sub-machine guns, four full magazines, two empty magazines and two Sudanese uniforms were recovered.
In another battle on Sunday, Kankiriho said four rebels were killed south of Lagoro. One was captured, two women rescued north of Doruma, while another rebel surrendered with his gun at Yambio in Sudan.
Kankiriho explained that the joint forces had tightened their noose around Kony and his scattered fighters in the vast and densely- forested Garamba National Park in Congo.
“You think he is asking for ceasefire for nothing? The man is under immense pressure. Big, big pressure. We shall get him,†he stressed.
He said the guns recovered, the rebels killed, documents collected and the food discovered and destroyed increased each day, indicating that the reclusive rebel leader’s end was near.
Kankiriho said that on Sunday, as UPDF troops continued combing the 15-square mile former base of the rebels called Camp Swahili, vital documents and gadgets were recovered.
He listed the items as a laptop, a pair of binoculars, an inverter, five remote control units, a DVD remote control and a video tape.
Others were a rubber- stamp and pad for Kony, an ink bottle, five sacks of washing soap, 20 bags of rice, sacks of sim-sim and peace talks documents.
Asked what documents were recovered on the laptop computer, Kankiriho replied: “I get these things and give them to technical people of intelligence to study.â€
He declined to disclose the whereabouts of LRA leader Joseph Kony, arguing that this would pre-empt army manoeuvres and send the Kony further underground.
He advised the critics of the military offensive to wait for photographs that show the recent successes.
Meanwhile, on Monday the Central African Republic (CAR) began deploying more troops on its border with Congo to guard against incursions by the LRA.
“The president has agreed to support the Ugandan army in the campaign against Joseph Kony’s rebels,†said CAR defence minister, Jean Francis Bozize, who is the son of President Francois Bozize.
The DRC government said last week that it had received reports that a group of LRA rebels were about to enter CAR.
However, Kankiriho clarified that the group was composed of families of rebel commanders and a few fighters guarding them, led by the ailing LRA deputy leader Okot Odhiambo.
In February and March last year, rebels led by Kony entered CAR and kidnapped about 150 people and looted homes.