Uganda raids southern Sudan headquarters of notorious LRA rebels

KAMPALA, July 29, 2004 (dpa) — Ugandan security forces have stormed the southern Sudan headquarters of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) killing over 120 LRA militants, a military spokesman said Thursday.

The raid, which took place Wednesday, occurred at Biliniang, east of the main southern Sudanese town of Juba, said Major Shaban Bantariza.

At least 28 others were also captured, including family members of elusive LRA leader Joseph Kony. The fate of Kony is however not known.

“We are trying to establish whether he escaped, was injured or died in the fighting,” said Bantariza.

“It was a devastating blow to Kony because we attacked the camp where he was hiding,” said Lieutenant Paddy Akunda, northern region military spokesman.

Weapons and equipment were also seized following the battle, which involved air and ground forces.

The LRA have been waging a bitter war in Uganda for the past 17 years and have long used southern Sudan as a base to launch attacks.

Thousands of people, mostly civilians, have been killed in nearly two decades of unrest, with up to one and a half million forced from their homes. The LRA has also been accused of abducting thousands of children to use as sex slaves or expendable fighters.