CAPT. MAGARA DIES IN SUDAN

Mar 22, 2002

Kony rebels kill Sudanese colonel in raid

A SUDANESE army colonel and UPDF’s Fourth Division Public Relations Officer, Capt. Khelil Magara, died on Wednesday in southern Sudan during a raid by the Lord’s Resistance Army rebels, reports Emmy Allio.The LRA rebels raided four Sudan government army units between Nisitu and Jabeleni, about 30km southeast of Juba city, the army confirmed yesterday.At least nine rebels died on the spot, but Magara collapsed and died as he fled from the rebels, the Sudanese Charge d’Affaires in Kampala, Mohammad Sirajjidin, said yesterday.Unconfirmed reports said about two dozen soldiers of the Sudan People’s Armed Forces (SPAF) could have died, among them a colonel, a major and a lieutenant. More SPAF soldiers could have sustained injuries or were missing. The late Magara was among a few UPDF liaison officers deployed among the SPAF as observers.“We send our condolences to Khelil’s family and the UPDF. He died for a noble cause of fighting terrorism. His death should be a reminder to the international community about the agreement between our countries and our resolve to fight terrorism,” the Sudanese envoy said yesterday. The Sudanese envoy said the rebels, estimated to number about 150 and commanded by Vincent Otti, were pursued and many guns recovered from them. Magara’s body arrived at Entebbe airport yesterday afternoon aboard a plane chartered from Juba by the Sudan government. The body of the Sudanese colonel was flown to Khartoum.Family sources said the soft-speaking officer will be laid to rest at his ancestral home in Kei sub-county in Yumbe district. Nisitu and Jabeleni, located in the Sudan government-controlled area, were home to Joseph Kony’s camps before he shifted to Lubanga Tek, near Torit and closer to the Uganda border.Sources said LRA has since quit Lubanga Tek (a Luo word meaning God is Great) camp and split into smaller groups following the agreement between Sudan and Uganda on March 5. The agreement allowed UPDF to hunt LRA inside Sudan.UPDF spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza said UPDF casualties were minimal because there were a few Uganda soldiers among the SPAF. Meanwhile, the UPDF has intensified helicopter gunship patrols along Sudan-Uganda border since Monday in attempt to track Kony.

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