Kony flees into congo
Feb 05, 2006
LRA rebel chief Joseph Kony has fled his hideout in southern Sudan and crossed the White Nile heading to the DR Congo, sources have said.
By Alfred Wasike
LRA rebel chief Joseph Kony has fled his hideout in southern Sudan and crossed the White Nile heading to the DR Congo, sources have said.
UPDF spokespersons Maj. Felix Kulaigye and Capt. Dennis Musitwa yesterday said Kony crossed the River Nile westwards but said the army was yet to establish whether Kony had crossed into the Congo’s Garamba National Park, where his deputy, Vincent Otti, fled last September.
On January 23, Otti’s group killed eight Guatemalan UN peacekeepers in the eastern Congo.
UPDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said, “We are studying intelligence reports. We have not confirmed yet.â€
However, a source said Kony crossed into Congo with five fighters. Before fleeing, Kony and his overall commander Okot Odhiambo were attacked by the UPDF in their hideout located northeast of Juba. Kony slipped away into Congo, the source said.
Nyakairima, while launching the annual Armed Forces Week in Teso on Wednesday, said, “They are largely finished. They are in three groups. Kony is in southern Sudan, north of Juba at Gondokoro with about 100 people armed with between 30 to 50 guns. The other group is led by Vicent Otti in Garamba National Park.â€
He said, “There are smaller groups in Pader, Gulu and Kitgum. There are about 300 armed LRA. The entire population including children born in captivity comes to about 500. They still have a serious capacity to hide but we are steadily shrinking their hideouts. Sudan no longer supports them.â€
Nyakairima said when the LRA attacked Teso in 2003, Kony had said by going to Teso he was on his way to Kampala to capture power.
“He was trying to follow in the footsteps of his cousin Lakwena, whose Holy Spirit Movement we had destroyed. We killed his so-called division commander, Tabuley.â€
Last October, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Kony and his top commanders Otti, Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen.
The LRA war has lasted for about 20 years and visited untold suffering on the region. Kony has unleashed terror on the civilian population, leading to mass displacement.
Ends
LRA rebel chief Joseph Kony has fled his hideout in southern Sudan and crossed the White Nile heading to the DR Congo, sources have said.
UPDF spokespersons Maj. Felix Kulaigye and Capt. Dennis Musitwa yesterday said Kony crossed the River Nile westwards but said the army was yet to establish whether Kony had crossed into the Congo’s Garamba National Park, where his deputy, Vincent Otti, fled last September.
On January 23, Otti’s group killed eight Guatemalan UN peacekeepers in the eastern Congo.
UPDF Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said, “We are studying intelligence reports. We have not confirmed yet.â€
However, a source said Kony crossed into Congo with five fighters. Before fleeing, Kony and his overall commander Okot Odhiambo were attacked by the UPDF in their hideout located northeast of Juba. Kony slipped away into Congo, the source said.
Nyakairima, while launching the annual Armed Forces Week in Teso on Wednesday, said, “They are largely finished. They are in three groups. Kony is in southern Sudan, north of Juba at Gondokoro with about 100 people armed with between 30 to 50 guns. The other group is led by Vicent Otti in Garamba National Park.â€
He said, “There are smaller groups in Pader, Gulu and Kitgum. There are about 300 armed LRA. The entire population including children born in captivity comes to about 500. They still have a serious capacity to hide but we are steadily shrinking their hideouts. Sudan no longer supports them.â€
Nyakairima said when the LRA attacked Teso in 2003, Kony had said by going to Teso he was on his way to Kampala to capture power.
“He was trying to follow in the footsteps of his cousin Lakwena, whose Holy Spirit Movement we had destroyed. We killed his so-called division commander, Tabuley.â€
Last October, the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Kony and his top commanders Otti, Raska Lukwiya, Okot Odhiambo and Dominic Ongwen.
The LRA war has lasted for about 20 years and visited untold suffering on the region. Kony has unleashed terror on the civilian population, leading to mass displacement.
Ends