After Joseph Kony’s narrow escape from a joint military operation, last week, over 70 per cent of the camps occupied by members of his LRA rebel group in northern DR Congo have been destroyed by the joint government forces of Uganda, Sudan and Congo.
The local populations near the camps were jubilant as jets went overhead to bomb the LRA camps. The Congolese town of Duru are among many towns that had fallen victim to indiscriminate rape and abductions carried out by the rebel group.
Until now, the LRA rebels, led by Joseph Kony and responsible for abducting children and forcing millions to flee, had managed to evade military operations.
It is also revealed that Joseph Kony’s forces are about 660 strong, a relatively small but troublesome group. The rebels are known to break into smaller groups and scatter when their camps are attacked only to regroup later.
Joachim Chissano, the UN envoy trying to end Uganda’s long-running conflict, said in a statement last week that he backed the offensive against the rebels.
He urged the UN Security Council to support the action by Uganda, Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Countries from Uganda to the Central African Republic have suffered 20 years of terror inflicted by the LRA.
The offensive had been launched by Ugandan, Southern Sudanese and Congolese forces against the rebels, after peace talks failed.
Mr Chissano said the aim of the operation was to force the LRA leader to sign a peace deal, which he has so far failed to do.
JDD confirms that the joint offensive began with an attack on the group in the Garamba national park, situated in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sunday December 14.
