Kony May Be In Kitgum District

Lord’s Resistance Army chief Joseph Kony may be in Kitgum district, sources said yesterday, reports Emmy Allio.Other sources, however, said Kony’s attempt to enter the district through Agoro sub-county was thwarted by the UPDF 23rd battalion.The sources said Kony, with about 150 fighters, entered the district on Monday but was still confined to the border areas.Security sources said Kony commanded one of the three groups of rebels that entered Agoro sub-county in Lamwo county last weekend. UPDF’s 23rd battalion in Agoro killed 30 attackers from Kony’s ‘Stockee brigade’. Kony reportedly retreated to Isore hills in southern Sudan. Another 25 fighters were dispersed and reportedly moved to the neighbouring Palugar sub-county.Army spokesman Major Shaban Bantariza said the LRA groups which were attacked by UPDF’s 23rd battalion in Agoro returned to Sudan, splitting into smaller groups. “Some of these groups re-entered the country through another border point. But I am not sure whether Kony himself re-entered the country,” he said.Meanwhile, the acting army commander, Maj. Gen. James Kazini, has ordered heavy deployment of soldiers along the Karuma-Pakwach highway to protect travellers, Bantariza said yesterday. Kazini’s order follows an LRA ambush of a lorry on Karuma-Pakwach road on Monday. “The army commander has ordered heavy deployment on the stretch of the road. This is necessary following threats by the rebels to ‘leave no stone unturned.’ Kony’s only mission is to kill people,” Bantariza said.Ends