Ugandan rebels kill 2 in fresh attack in Sudan’s Western Equatoria
March 2, 2007 (YAMBIO) — Ugandan rebels have killed two civilians in an attack in Western Equatoria State. “This attacked coincided with the expiration of the cessation of hostilities between the LRA and the UPDF of Uganda.” said the WES minister of information.
“The fugitive LRA rebels yet attacked innocent civilians in Source Yubu, a border town about 18 miles south of Tambura,” Thursday March 1. The attack took place at around 4.00pm, where a platoon of Joint Integrated Units (JIU) forces deployed in the area engaged the enemy for 2 hours.
Information from the area indicate that the strength of the LRA forces which attacked Sources Yubu was twice that of the JIU forces, hence they managed to briefly overran the town and looted shops, properties of the civilians. Two casualties are reported.
“This attack of the LRA fugitives clearly indicate that they are not interested for peace and so Government of Southern Sudan (GoSS) should not waste its time and resources on trying to persuade them to come back to the peace table or engaging the so called Acholi elders while the GOSS should be deploying forces to the areas of Nabanga, Ezo, etc and actually pursue this fugitives.”
The Western equatorial minister urged the southern Sudan government to react swiftly to deploy troops in the state to eradicate the LRA threat. “Something must be done now to help the situation otherwise this war is no longer Uganda war but innocent civilians of WES are carrying the brunt of the LRA menace!” he said.
The ceasefire agreement between the Ugandan government and the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) expired on February 28 with no hope of a peace agreement in sight.
The talks have been seen as a good chance to end the northern Uganda conflict that has affected eastern Congo and Sudan’s south. But negotiations failed to resume this year after the rebel Lord’s Resistance demanded in January that Southern Sudan step down as host and mediator, but said it was committed to the truce.
The rebels say comments two senior Sudanese officials — president Bashir and FVP salva Kiir — made in January made them doubt Southern Sudan’s neutrality. Ugandan government officials have said that they are happy with the venue and mediator of the talks.
(ST)