10 LRA rebels cede to Congolese forces
Nine more fighters of the Lord’s Resistance Army have surrendered to the Congolese army following a battle between the UPDF and the rebels in the Central African Republic (CAR) last week.
The surrender comes five days after three others surrendered to the Congolese forces. The majority of them surrendered in Faraje and Aba in the DR Congo.
LRA fled to CAR to seek safe haven after the UPDF attacked and destroyed their camps in Garamba National Park in December.
Days over
The UPDF West Nile Army Spokesman, Capt. Peter Mugisa, told Daily Monitor on Saturday at the 409 Brigade that the fighters surrendered following increased pressure by the UPDF and that the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony’s days are numbered.
“This is a clear testimony that the end of Kony is nearing and this will pave way for peace in the northern Uganda,” Capt. Mugisa said.
The nine that surrendered with their guns include; Ojok Michael, Francis Opira, Francis Tholith, Dennis Okwera, Anthony Olanya, and 14-year-old Simon Ocilo, Pauline Adoch, the wife to commander Arop, Alice Amony and Stella Acan.
Capt. Mugisa said the number of LRA fighters is reducing due to the several surrenders and those being killed during the battle. The three who surrendered a week ago include: Richard Odoki, Otika Okweranga, all from Pader and 16-year-old Samuel Ojara.
This brings to 13, the number of LRA fighters who surrendered within a week. However, Daily Monitor could not talk to the abductees but learnt that the 409 Brigade offered them food.
Why they surrendered
The surrender comes five days after three others surrendered to the Congolese forces. The majority of them surrendered in Faraje and Aba in the DR Congo.
LRA fled to CAR to seek safe haven after the UPDF attacked and destroyed their camps in Garamba National Park in December.
Days over
The UPDF West Nile Army Spokesman, Capt. Peter Mugisa, told Daily Monitor on Saturday at the 409 Brigade that the fighters surrendered following increased pressure by the UPDF and that the leader of the LRA, Joseph Kony’s days are numbered.
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GAVE UP: Some of the LRA rebels who surrendered on Saturday. Photo by Warom Felix Okello
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“This is a clear testimony that the end of Kony is nearing and this will pave way for peace in the northern Uganda,” Capt. Mugisa said.
The nine that surrendered with their guns include; Ojok Michael, Francis Opira, Francis Tholith, Dennis Okwera, Anthony Olanya, and 14-year-old Simon Ocilo, Pauline Adoch, the wife to commander Arop, Alice Amony and Stella Acan.
Capt. Mugisa said the number of LRA fighters is reducing due to the several surrenders and those being killed during the battle. The three who surrendered a week ago include: Richard Odoki, Otika Okweranga, all from Pader and 16-year-old Samuel Ojara.
This brings to 13, the number of LRA fighters who surrendered within a week. However, Daily Monitor could not talk to the abductees but learnt that the 409 Brigade offered them food.
Why they surrendered
According to the former rebels, they surrendered due to a leadership power vacuum and lack of food in the bush. They were under the command of both Lt. Col. Otto Malaba and Lt. Ochen who were operating along the Congo-CAR borders.
Many of them were abducted on their way to school between 1995 and 2002.
The UPDF attacked LRA bases in Garamba in a joint operation with the Sudan People’s Liberation Army and the DR Congo army. The army pulled out two months later after the rebels fled to CAR, leaving the responsibility of chasing the LRA remnants to the UN peace keeping mission in Congo, Monuc and the DRC army.
Last week, there were reports that the rebels had launched attacks on civilian population in Darfur in southern Sudan.
However, the Sudanese Deputy Ambassador to Uganda, Mr Abdelrahim El-Siddig Omer Mohamed, refuted the claims.
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