Rescued Children, Families Reunited
Jul 14, 2003
AT least 104 children who had been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have been rescued by the UPDF in fierce battles in Kitgum, Pader and some parts of Lira district.
By Ali Mao
AT least 104 children who had been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have been rescued by the UPDF in fierce battles in Kitgum, Pader and some parts of Lira district.
Fifth Division army spokesman Second Lieutenant Chris Magezi on July 13 said the UPDF mobile force rescued the children in a period of 10 days.
He said this while parading the children before journalists at Lira army barracks.
He said most of the rebels who had been lingering in some parts of Pader and Kitgum had either been killed or forced to flee.
“They realised they could not get an oasis in those areas to mobilise themselves. Their option was to sneak back to Sudan but our forces are on their heels,†Magezi said. The rescued children were handed over to Concerned Parents Association (CPA) and were undergoing medical examination and anti-trauma treatment at the CPA centre in Lira.
Magezi said out of the 104 rescued, 46 were from Katakwi, 10 from Lira, 30 from Pader, four from Gulu, two from Apac, three from Soroti and one from Kaberamaido.
“We have killed a number of the rebels and captured some ammunition and we hope to achieve more against the terrorists. We shall not rest until we rescue all the abductees,†he said.
He said calm had returned to Lira and the army was merely mopping up as it pursued the thugs.
Kony rebels have fought the Government for 17 years, killing thousands of people.
Ends
AT least 104 children who had been abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) have been rescued by the UPDF in fierce battles in Kitgum, Pader and some parts of Lira district.
Fifth Division army spokesman Second Lieutenant Chris Magezi on July 13 said the UPDF mobile force rescued the children in a period of 10 days.
He said this while parading the children before journalists at Lira army barracks.
He said most of the rebels who had been lingering in some parts of Pader and Kitgum had either been killed or forced to flee.
“They realised they could not get an oasis in those areas to mobilise themselves. Their option was to sneak back to Sudan but our forces are on their heels,†Magezi said. The rescued children were handed over to Concerned Parents Association (CPA) and were undergoing medical examination and anti-trauma treatment at the CPA centre in Lira.
Magezi said out of the 104 rescued, 46 were from Katakwi, 10 from Lira, 30 from Pader, four from Gulu, two from Apac, three from Soroti and one from Kaberamaido.
“We have killed a number of the rebels and captured some ammunition and we hope to achieve more against the terrorists. We shall not rest until we rescue all the abductees,†he said.
He said calm had returned to Lira and the army was merely mopping up as it pursued the thugs.
Kony rebels have fought the Government for 17 years, killing thousands of people.
Ends