LRA abductees at least 10 in Central Africa – military

By Richard Ruati

February 19, 2010 (Obo, CAR) — Uganda’s rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) has kidnapped at least 10 people from villages in southeastern Central African Republic, an army source told Sudan Tribune on Saturday morning.

On Monday the LRA attacked the village of Kamandare, 40 kilometres (25 miles) from Dembia, close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central Africa military source said.

AFP news quoted the CAR Army as saying, “They took at least 10 people hostage and ransacked a number of houses,” the source said.

“On February 17, the rebels launched another attack, against the village of Gbangomboro, seven kilometres from Dembia, but the villagers had fled following a warning,” the source said.

Efforts to contact Ugandan Army operating in the region could not materialize due to poor telephone line to Kampala.

This is the latest strike attack by the marauding rebels in few months after being confined to the Central African Republic forests.

The whereabouts of Joseph Kony is very little; however, recent reports from the three the armies suggest Kony is on the run advancing towards Darfur, such reports confirmed Gen Joseph Kony to have stayed in Northern Bahr Ghazel of southern Sudan.

Experts on LRA rebels say, winter season in the region may step up LRA activities, as most of the thick forests are gone.

(ST)