LRA hacks 12 in Lira
Nov 18, 2003
The LRA rebels hacked 12 people to death in Lira district, nine of them captives.
By Anne Mugisa and Ali Mao
The LRA rebels hacked 12 people to death in Lira district, nine of them captives.
Three of the victims were residents of Olero village in Adekokwok sub-county where the rebels carried out the killings, about 12km from Lira town.
The army said about 30 rebels carried out the killings at around 10:00pm on Monday.
Lt. Chris Magezi, UPDF 5th Division public relations officer based in Lira, said the rebels smashed their victims’ heads. Other victims were seriously injured.
Magezi said by yesterday, the rebels had split into small groups to try to get away from the UPDF pursuit.
“We are gaining ground on them. They are going to suffer the same fate the moment we catch them, he said.
Local sources put the toll at 15 and named the dead as Peter Ojok, Yuventino Koni, Moses Odongo, Albino Opio, Alfred Odongo, Ben Awany, Serafino Ayo, Aryam CP and Ferdinand Amuko.
The others were Angello Okello, Erasto Ayo, Abec Okello, Peter Ayok, Michael Odung and one only identified as Awany.
The sources said the massacre took place at the home of Albino Opio in Onyangapuc parish, Adekokwok sub-county in Erute county.
They said the rebels abducted a number of people.
The LC1 chairman, Saul Alyela Kizza, said the rebels swarmed the village with torches and ransacked their houses.
“I heard people murmuring. When I came outside, I saw over 50 armed rebels but I escaped as they chased after me,†Alyela said.
A widow of one of the victims, Albino Opio, said she saw the rebels smash her husband’s head.
She said one of the rebels told his friends not to kill her. “One of the rebels told his friends, ‘leave that woman, do not kill her, let her mourn her husband’,†she said.
The LRA rebels hacked 12 people to death in Lira district, nine of them captives.
Three of the victims were residents of Olero village in Adekokwok sub-county where the rebels carried out the killings, about 12km from Lira town.
The army said about 30 rebels carried out the killings at around 10:00pm on Monday.
Lt. Chris Magezi, UPDF 5th Division public relations officer based in Lira, said the rebels smashed their victims’ heads. Other victims were seriously injured.
Magezi said by yesterday, the rebels had split into small groups to try to get away from the UPDF pursuit.
“We are gaining ground on them. They are going to suffer the same fate the moment we catch them, he said.
Local sources put the toll at 15 and named the dead as Peter Ojok, Yuventino Koni, Moses Odongo, Albino Opio, Alfred Odongo, Ben Awany, Serafino Ayo, Aryam CP and Ferdinand Amuko.
The others were Angello Okello, Erasto Ayo, Abec Okello, Peter Ayok, Michael Odung and one only identified as Awany.
The sources said the massacre took place at the home of Albino Opio in Onyangapuc parish, Adekokwok sub-county in Erute county.
They said the rebels abducted a number of people.
The LC1 chairman, Saul Alyela Kizza, said the rebels swarmed the village with torches and ransacked their houses.
“I heard people murmuring. When I came outside, I saw over 50 armed rebels but I escaped as they chased after me,†Alyela said.
A widow of one of the victims, Albino Opio, said she saw the rebels smash her husband’s head.
She said one of the rebels told his friends not to kill her. “One of the rebels told his friends, ‘leave that woman, do not kill her, let her mourn her husband’,†she said.