Army seizes LRA war map
Dec 19, 2004
THE army has seized the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) operational map, which indicates places and IDP camps the rebels plan to attack during this Christmas season, the UPDF 509 spokesman, Lt. Tabaro Kiconco, has said.<br><br>
By Justin Moro
and Chris Ochowun
THE army has seized the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) operational map, which indicates places and IDP camps the rebels plan to attack during this Christmas season, the UPDF 509 spokesman, Lt. Tabaro Kiconco, has said.
Kiconco said the map was seized when the UPDF attacked a group of rebels who were on a reconnaissance mission along River Agago in Aruu county in Pader district on Saturday.
The UPDF killed one rebel and injured others, leaving a trail of blood stains on the rebel’s flight path.
“We attacked a group of enemy forces and killed one of them along River Agago and we seized their operational map indicating places and camps they wanted to attack during this Christmas season. The rebels wanted to stage road ambushes along Kitgum-Pader road and Pader-Lira road,†Kiconco said.
He added that the army commander had given directives to UPDF units in the district to be on full alert and intensify offensive operations against rebels who are still roaming in the district.
“We have also stepped up road patrols along the major roads which are being targeted by the LRA rebels in order to avert any of their attempts to stage ambushes. We are aggressively hunting for the rebels who are still roaming in Pader district,†Kiconco said yesterday.
He said they needed the cooperation of the local leaders to implement their security plans against the rebels. He did not give details of the plan.
Kiconco said since the start of December, the UPDF 509 Brigade had attacked and killed several defiant LRA rebels who refused to go to the ceasefire zone in Palabek Tim Padwat in Kitgum district and had continued to attack the displaced persons in Pader camps.
He said 30 rebels were killed and eight others captured with machine-guns during combined aerial and ground assaults on suspected LRA hideouts in Pader district.
“We rescued 49 abducted children from the rebels during the various operations and 23 LRA fighters surrendered to our various detachments in the brigade,†Tabaro added.
He said they recovered 30 machine-guns with several military equipment from the fleeing rebels who have now split into small groups to evade the UPDF offensive.
Kiconco said one rebel defected to the UPDF detachment at Okinga in Laguti sub-county in Aruu county with a captive, one rifle and 19 bullets.
The army said on Saturday it had renewed its offensive against the rebels in southern Sudan, outside the ceasefire zone.
On Friday, the President extended the ceasefire for the third time to allow the LRA second-in-command, Vincent Otti, to consult his boss, Joseph Kony.
Ends
and Chris Ochowun
THE army has seized the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) operational map, which indicates places and IDP camps the rebels plan to attack during this Christmas season, the UPDF 509 spokesman, Lt. Tabaro Kiconco, has said.
Kiconco said the map was seized when the UPDF attacked a group of rebels who were on a reconnaissance mission along River Agago in Aruu county in Pader district on Saturday.
The UPDF killed one rebel and injured others, leaving a trail of blood stains on the rebel’s flight path.
“We attacked a group of enemy forces and killed one of them along River Agago and we seized their operational map indicating places and camps they wanted to attack during this Christmas season. The rebels wanted to stage road ambushes along Kitgum-Pader road and Pader-Lira road,†Kiconco said.
He added that the army commander had given directives to UPDF units in the district to be on full alert and intensify offensive operations against rebels who are still roaming in the district.
“We have also stepped up road patrols along the major roads which are being targeted by the LRA rebels in order to avert any of their attempts to stage ambushes. We are aggressively hunting for the rebels who are still roaming in Pader district,†Kiconco said yesterday.
He said they needed the cooperation of the local leaders to implement their security plans against the rebels. He did not give details of the plan.
Kiconco said since the start of December, the UPDF 509 Brigade had attacked and killed several defiant LRA rebels who refused to go to the ceasefire zone in Palabek Tim Padwat in Kitgum district and had continued to attack the displaced persons in Pader camps.
He said 30 rebels were killed and eight others captured with machine-guns during combined aerial and ground assaults on suspected LRA hideouts in Pader district.
“We rescued 49 abducted children from the rebels during the various operations and 23 LRA fighters surrendered to our various detachments in the brigade,†Tabaro added.
He said they recovered 30 machine-guns with several military equipment from the fleeing rebels who have now split into small groups to evade the UPDF offensive.
Kiconco said one rebel defected to the UPDF detachment at Okinga in Laguti sub-county in Aruu county with a captive, one rifle and 19 bullets.
The army said on Saturday it had renewed its offensive against the rebels in southern Sudan, outside the ceasefire zone.
On Friday, the President extended the ceasefire for the third time to allow the LRA second-in-command, Vincent Otti, to consult his boss, Joseph Kony.
Ends