Army clashes with warriors in Moroto
Jun 03, 2009
Heavy gun fire rocked Katikekile sub-county in Moroto district on Friday evening as suspected Tepeth warriors clashed with the army on the slopes of Mt. Moroto. Witnesses said the warriors searched the area in the morning prior to their plan to raid catt
By Olandason Wanyama
Heavy gun fire rocked Katikekile sub-county in Moroto district on Friday evening as suspected Tepeth warriors clashed with the army on the slopes of Mt. Moroto. Witnesses said the warriors searched the area in the morning prior to their plan to raid cattle.
Tepeth warriors stealthily entered Loputuk parish in Nadunget sub-county raiding close to 30 cows. They tried to escape through the mountain, but the army was alerted in time and all the animals were recovered after the shoot out.
The incident comes after another clash between the army and the warriors last Thursday in Nakiloro sub-county in Moroto district near the Uganda-Kenya border. According to unconfirmed reports, three suspected warriors were killed and another was arrested, but no ammunition was recovered. Witnesses said the fighting started at about 2:00pm spreading into the Nakaabal escarpment on the western side of the mountain, a few kilometres from the Kenya border.
The fighting lasted almost three hours before the warriors were overpowered by the army. They then turned their wrath on the animals, killing several of them before retreating. The UPDF 3rd Division North Karamoja spokesperson, Lt. Caesar Olweny, confirmed the incident.
“We have been battling unspecified number of Tepeth warriors over the last week.†Olweny said they had not established how many warriors were injured or killed.
He urged the warriors to hand over their guns to the army, saying they were making the residents suffer. “If they stop raiding, there will be no problem amongst the communities where they reside,†Olweny said.
“We are still pursuing them and shall have them arrested.â€
Heavy gun fire rocked Katikekile sub-county in Moroto district on Friday evening as suspected Tepeth warriors clashed with the army on the slopes of Mt. Moroto. Witnesses said the warriors searched the area in the morning prior to their plan to raid cattle.
Tepeth warriors stealthily entered Loputuk parish in Nadunget sub-county raiding close to 30 cows. They tried to escape through the mountain, but the army was alerted in time and all the animals were recovered after the shoot out.
The incident comes after another clash between the army and the warriors last Thursday in Nakiloro sub-county in Moroto district near the Uganda-Kenya border. According to unconfirmed reports, three suspected warriors were killed and another was arrested, but no ammunition was recovered. Witnesses said the fighting started at about 2:00pm spreading into the Nakaabal escarpment on the western side of the mountain, a few kilometres from the Kenya border.
The fighting lasted almost three hours before the warriors were overpowered by the army. They then turned their wrath on the animals, killing several of them before retreating. The UPDF 3rd Division North Karamoja spokesperson, Lt. Caesar Olweny, confirmed the incident.
“We have been battling unspecified number of Tepeth warriors over the last week.†Olweny said they had not established how many warriors were injured or killed.
He urged the warriors to hand over their guns to the army, saying they were making the residents suffer. “If they stop raiding, there will be no problem amongst the communities where they reside,†Olweny said.
“We are still pursuing them and shall have them arrested.â€