Ugandan army continue to pursue rebels in southern Sudan

KAMPALA, April 13, 2004 (Xinhua) — Ugandan government forces is continuing to pursue the rebels of the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) in southern Sudan, the New Vision reported Tuesday.

Ugandan army’s northern region spokesman, Paddy Ankunda, said in Lira district Monday that the rebels have fled to Kit II after the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) occupied their hideouts in Imatong mountains and Katire valley in southern Sudan.

“Our mission now is to occupy Kit II valley and see where they are going to escape to,” he said.

Last month the UPDF drove LRA leader Joseph Kony and his fighters out of their long-time sanctuary on Imatong mountains.

Ankunda said the UPDF seized a large quantity of food hidden in drums in Imatong mountains. It also seized 200 head of cattle.

“They have now lost ground of tactical importance which is an advantage to us to track them. The rebel groups in Uganda have virtually lost contact with those in Sudan because the UPDF denied them chances of regrouping,” Ankunda added.

The LRA rebels have been fighting 18-year-old war to topple the Ugandan government dominated by southerners, and claiming to give power to northern Acholi tribe.

But the rebel have killed tens of thousands of civilians, abducted over 20,000 children and displaced more than 1.5 million people, most of whom are from Acholi tribe.

Since last month the UPDF have been pursuing the rebels in southern Sudan to flush them out after securing a green light from the Khartoum government.