‘Army strong enough to quell rebels’

By Dennis Ojwee THE commanding officer of the UPDF Iron fist operation against the Kony Lord’s Resistance Army in southern Sudan, brig. Aronda Nyakairima, has said there are sufficient forces to deal with the rebels. He told The New Vision at the Gulu Barracks recently that the army would ensure security in Acholi sub-region.“We have sufficient forces that will now deal with all the LRA rebels under various commands of Kony, both inside Uganda and those in Sudan,” Brig. Nyakairama said.He said local defence units (LDUs) would guard displaced camps. He said there were enough UPDF troops in Sudan to hit and flush out Kony and his rebels. Nyakairama said Kony had gone back to his military camps at Lubanga Tek, Bin-Rwot, Lalar and Odek among others, in southern Sudan.He said the army was using two principal means of zonal and mobile tight military intelligence and central forces to hunt down the rebels. He said the zonal forces would guide students in schools and sensitise the local community in Acholi on what to do to improve security intelligence.He said the vigilance of the Acholi should increase in Gulu, Pader, Kitgum, Apac and Lira districts, which are currently under attack. Nyakairima said UPDF would not only rescue children but hit rebels as well.