Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship

By James Gatdet Dak

December 26, 2008 (JUBA) – Rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) said they have shot down a helicopter gunship of the Ugandan army aviation inside DR Congo.

The Ugandan rebels Spokesman, David Matsanga, was reported today by the United Nations FM radio in Juba to have confirmed the downing of the helicopter during the continued fighting on Thursday with the Ugandan forces.

The Ugandan forces carried out both air and ground attacks against the LRA bases since 14th December in north-eastern DR Congo and still continuing.

Matsanga re-affirmed the LRA’s desire to reach a final peace agreement with the Ugandan government.

Earlier, media reports quoted Ugandan army officials as saying their air attacks had destroyed up to 70% of the LRA bases inside DR Congo. But other contradicting reports say the army hit empty camps without the LRA combatants in those camps.

In a related news development, the Vice President of the Government of Southern Sudan and Chief Mediator of the Ugandan peace process, Dr. Riek Machar Teny, rejected accusations made by the LRA claiming the involvement of the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the joint regional military offensive.

Machar said the semi-autonomous Government of Southern Sudan has no security agreements with the DR Congo and that the SPLA forces could not involve in an international fighting in foreign land without the approval of the Central government in Khartoum.

“Southern Sudan is not an independent country that can involve in fighting in another country without the approval of the President of the Republic,” he said.

Last week, the Government of Southern Sudan’s Council of Ministers resolved to reinforce the deployment of SPLA forces inside Southern Sudan territory to close and secure its borders and major supply routes leading to and fro Southern Sudan from Uganda, Kenya and DR Congo.

It also temporarily suspended its mediation efforts until the two warring parties are ready to resume to the peace process and sign the final peace agreement.

(ST)

13 Forum messages

BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 15:19, by Gatwech

What?

Oh, my God, they can even bring down helicopter gunships? How did they get such sophisticated weapons? Is it the National Congress Party in Khartoum supplying them with the weapons. I thought the military operations were going to be wrapped up soon, but they look to spread and go out of control. I am glad that the SPLA forces are not involved in that deadly operations inside Congo. Damn, it was unwise to choose war over peace process. How much does one helicopter gunship cost plus the lives lost? Peace is more cheaper than war.

BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 17:28, by Biar-again

Do you know the definition and meaning of peace? If so, some fews hours ago, you were encouraging Logic and all Equatorians to lauch war against Dinka. Which is which Gatngoth? Or do you want to tell us that the LRA/GOU Peace is a project of your uncle?

MERRY X-MASS, I WISH YOU FORTUNATE SIX DAYS LATTER UNLIKE YOU WHO MENTALLY CAPSIZED.
- BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 17:43, by Gatwech
  
  Biar,
  
  Your being a congenital and traditional liar has affected your dignity forever. When and where exactly a few hours ago as you lied did I encourage "Logic and all Equatorians to launch war against the Dinka?" You are declaring war on yourselves not someone declaring it on you. It is your poor minds, hearts and ever wanting stomachs that are failing you, dude.
- BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 23:55, by Thyinka
  
  Haha. A chuk ya gatngoth adil, Biar.
- BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 30 December 2008 22:55, by mary fritz
  
  I am from the U.S. We are not a perfect country. Our leaders stick their noses in other country’s business, the rich keep getting richer and the poor keep getting poorer. We are in a recession. I am not a political person. I am a spiritual person. I have three children who are all in school; I work as a nurse. I was sick to my stomach when I read about hundreds getting killed on Christmas Day. What is wrong with people?? How many people need to be killed before everyone is happy? Your leaders stink worse than ours!
BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 17:31, by Gatwech

It looks like the LRA rebels are killing more people during the regional military offensives than before the offensives. I wonder why the Ugandan army is not capable of finishing them in days given the nature of the offensive.
Read below:
...........................

Suspected Ugandan rebels kill at least 26

KAMPALA (AFP) — At least 26 civilians were killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and in south Sudan by suspected rebels from Uganda’s Lord’s Resistance Army, a Ugandan army spokesman said Friday.

The attackers raided two villages in northeastern Congo on Thursday and killed 16 people while another three were killed on a road in south Sudan, said Chris Magezi, the spokesman of a joint military operation against the rebels.

Magezi said seven other bodies were found by troops along the Congo-Sudan border where forces from Uganda, Congo and south Sudan are hunting the LRA.

"The allied forces condemn these attacks against innocent civilians by the LRA terrorists and this justifies the action the allied troops have taken," Magezi told AFP.

Troops from the three countries launched a military offensive on December 14 against the LRA, whose leader Joseph Kony has repeatedly refused to sign a final peace agreement with the Kampala government.

Kony cites International Criminal Court arrest warrants against him and his lieutenants as reasons for not signing the peace accord finalised in April.

The LRA is accused of having raped and mutilated civilians, forcibly enlisting child soldiers and of massacring thousands during the two decades conflict in northern Uganda.
BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 18:54, by mr x

hi gatwech every things is posible you can buy any guns anywere what ever you have but make sure that there is no things can happen excpt peace or war like you and your nucle logic woman who are alsway cheating agains they people that all they country is belong to them weather you or not it is up to you gatekoth or what ever you call your self and iam sure that you are not Nuer orginal because we known NUER people than we known you and for get your uncle logic dog who is looking only for the food. the man who answer you is the form secrity of dr.Riak machar teny who brouht dr RIAK BACK TO THE SPLM/A AND NOW HE IS enjoks they higher post of the momovement
- BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 26 December 2008 19:27, by mr x
  
  by mrx to you logic dog with out the tial we are not going to send any spla forces to depene you antill you send they 5000 equatorian forces that you was tolk us lost week ago to fight lra beacuse you are concerned for it and spla are concerned for the goverment of southern sudan which there is no civilen can orders them to go and fight any places so you should cerat your army, than you figh with internet wich can get what you want and thank my dog which the arba are very happ because the known logic dog will brought down southeren sudan for there owen future.
BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 27 December 2008 00:38, by cansellor

Dear southerners! this ’s the only chance for any one who still doubting with roles plays by this traitor appointed to be vice president in the Goverment of South Sudan GOSS to observe and to prove the vunerable culture of lies, cowardic, shameless and greediness of nuer people. This report was air last week in BBC NEWS that three countries Uganda’ Congo and South Sudan launched a joint millitary offensive again Lord Resistance Army LRA, as a result of LRA failure to sign peace dealt with Ugandan’s goverment mediated by South Suadan Vice President. but now it turn out to be a mis! and that ’s because he began to realize that SPLA coalition with Uganda and Congo for millitary offensive againt LRA, will damage his personals interests with Khartoum NIF and lord Resistant Army LRA once they share the same roles of belonging to khartoum’s agents. Now I got a question to ask mr Logic boy. you always allianced yourself with Gatwech to form anti Dinka. Do you support the idea that LRA sould exist in South Sudan and particularly in Equatoria? And who do you proves to be a liar and coward at the moment? That was the reason we always argued you to coorperate with the Dinkas because we are the only liberators who know how to secure the future of Equatorian people like the way we did it previosely during the war. Dinkas fought the war mostly in Equatoria inorder to interrupt the oppression of Equtorian people by dominant Arabs. Because we do believe that nuer and Equatorian are the most sensitive communities in South sudan. but some of Equatorian did the right thing by refusing to surrendered to jallaba and launched a betrayal attack againt theirs own land. like the way Nuer did it. and that one only gave us pitty to protect them during the war times. today mr Logic I am trying to advice you as my own brother. If you are someone optimistic about the future of Equatorian people, then I can tell you, the only way to achieve such a dream is to join hand with Dinkas we are the promies future of this promised land! And i hope you will be wise enough today to understand what I mean.
- BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 27 December 2008 01:19, by Tutduok
  
  The confused Counselor,
  
  This is the war you cowards have been preaching!! War is more expensive than you Dinkas stealing money in juba. Get your gun and head to the frontline to fight LRA. Why are you blaming Gatwech or the Nuers for this now.
  
  You preach the war, we preach the peace. now the war comes, and the Dinkas are afraid to fight it? If you can steal the money in Juba, of course the south expect you to fight. Let the mess begin as you people invited it. You cannot pee your pant now the war comes. I hate it when I see a coward!!
  
  Tduok
  - BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 27 December 2008 04:07, by Makuac Gob
    
    you know MR.belong to cowherd we don’t fought, when cowherd like you speaking. we fight when your mother’s shout fuck up her mouth ,and late see us what we are doing and what was our great enemy like Arab who was been fucked your mother seen all this years.
    we Dinkas we fully ability to secure all central and east Africa not a funking LRA, and you. mother fucker
  - BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 28 December 2008 23:01, by Lokang
    
    MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE.
    I am sorry to read a message from a Nuer boy saying that Dinka been preaching war and they Nuer preaching peace, What a liar on earth is this man! Dinka is not afraid of any creature in this UNIVERSE and to prove it right, Dinka fought with Nuer alongside Arab whereas Nuer are not Arabs,Dinka fought with Equatorian supporting Arabs too like Nuer and Dinka fought with Maraham in Bahr el gazal and murle as well as Mundari, and all in all, Dinka was fighting for the unity and freedom of Southerners, who the hell is that saying Dinka is afraid of fighting?
    - BREAKING NEWS: Ugandan rebels shot down helicopter gunship 13 March 2009 13:30, by Taban Geofrey Koma
      
      The LRA and the Uganda Government should think about the innocent children and women suffering because of the fighting between them
      Fighting in DR Congo is very bad as they are now destroying other peoples’land
      International bodies should try to get involved