Uganda and DRC agree to hunt for LRA rebels together


Reading time 2 min.
arton19146

The governments of Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with
help from the United Nations are soon to resume hunting for Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) rebels led by Joseph Kony who have been killing or maiming innocent civilians in Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and southern Sudan.

The decision follows bilateral talks over the weekend at the western Uganda town of Kasese, near the boarder with DRC, involving officials from Uganda, Democratic republic of Congo and UN.

DRC and UN have agreed that Uganda Peoples Defence Force (UPDF) should be allowed to hunt for LRA rebels to rid the Great Lakes region of insecurity posed by the terrorist group.

“We want to work collectively so that we eliminate LRA rebels. What is
now being finalised is the plan of the offensive,” said Amos Goli an official from Congo.

“Our forces have weakened the rebels but they are not yet wiped out. We need to wipe them out” said Uganda’s minister of defence, Dr Crispus Kiyonga.

According to Dr. Kiyonga the International Criminal Court (ICC) was also helping the DRC to hunt for Kony.

“We are using multiple approaches to fight him. If we get him anywhere
on the African soil, we shall arrest him,” he said.

The official revealed that Uganda had examined the locations, strengths and activities of the rebels and were now planning offensives.

The UN’s special representative to the mission on the stabilisation of Congo (MONUSCO), Roger Meece, pledged his agency’s total logistical and human support.

“We shall continue to support both countries in all the operations and build a strong foundation in order to achieve peace and security in the region,” Meece said.

LRA rebels led by Joseph Kony started fighting the government of
Uganda in 1986. Later during the late 1990’s after much pressure from Uganda government forces, the rebel group fled into southern Sudan.

In 2006, Kony accepted to talk peace with government of Uganda but
failed to sign a final peace agreement in 2008.

In December 2008, joint forces from Uganda, DRC and southern Sudan attacked rebels bases in southern Sudan in an operation they named as ‘Operation Lightning Thunder.’

The rebels fled into the Democratic Republic of Congo and later to the Central Africa Republic where they killed hundreds of civilians.

Currently they are scattered in small groups in Democratic republic of Congo and southern Sudan where they occasionally attack and kill civilians.

DR Congo  Read latest news and features from DR Congo : business, politics, culture, life & style, entertainment and sports
Support Follow Afrik-News on Google News