Army recovers 90 guns from Karamoja region
Mar 11, 2008
THE army has recovered 91 guns since the beginning of this month in the ongoing operation to remove illegal firearms in Karamoja.
By Joseph Wanzusi
THE army has recovered 91 guns since the beginning of this month in the ongoing operation to remove illegal firearms in Karamoja.
The 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, told The New Vision by phone on Monday that 18 of the guns were recovered after the army, supported by a helicopter, raided Morungole mountains in Kaabong district.
He added that in the fire exchange that lasted about four hours between soldiers and the Karimojong in the mountains, one warrior was killed and another arrested.
In February, Obbo noted, the army recovered 225 sub-machine guns and many bullets.
He pointed out that the warriors no longer keep the guns at home but hide them in the bushes.
“We also recovered 80 head of cattle and 807 donkeys, which were found hidden in the caves. We are still pursuing the warriors who escaped from the mountains,†Obbo stated.
The division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, who has camped in the mountains to direct the operations, appealed to the warriors to voluntarily surrender the illegal guns and avoid clashing with the army, according to Obbo.
“The army is not at war with the Karimojong but wants to restore sanity in the sub-region where armed thuggery has been the order of the day.â€
The spokesman said armed Dodoth warriors had been using the mountains to attack their neighbours, stage road ambushes and hide stolen cattle that are sold to Kenya, South Sudan and within Uganda.
He said they were prompted to deploy the Alpine forces in Kadama mountains in Nakapiripirit district, Sebei and Bugisu.
THE army has recovered 91 guns since the beginning of this month in the ongoing operation to remove illegal firearms in Karamoja.
The 3rd Division spokesman, Capt. Henry Obbo, told The New Vision by phone on Monday that 18 of the guns were recovered after the army, supported by a helicopter, raided Morungole mountains in Kaabong district.
He added that in the fire exchange that lasted about four hours between soldiers and the Karimojong in the mountains, one warrior was killed and another arrested.
In February, Obbo noted, the army recovered 225 sub-machine guns and many bullets.
He pointed out that the warriors no longer keep the guns at home but hide them in the bushes.
“We also recovered 80 head of cattle and 807 donkeys, which were found hidden in the caves. We are still pursuing the warriors who escaped from the mountains,†Obbo stated.
The division commander, Brig. Patrick Kankiriho, who has camped in the mountains to direct the operations, appealed to the warriors to voluntarily surrender the illegal guns and avoid clashing with the army, according to Obbo.
“The army is not at war with the Karimojong but wants to restore sanity in the sub-region where armed thuggery has been the order of the day.â€
The spokesman said armed Dodoth warriors had been using the mountains to attack their neighbours, stage road ambushes and hide stolen cattle that are sold to Kenya, South Sudan and within Uganda.
He said they were prompted to deploy the Alpine forces in Kadama mountains in Nakapiripirit district, Sebei and Bugisu.