The UPDF will re-deploy in southern Sudan to continue tracking down rebel leader Joseph Kony, the army commander has said. Maj. Gen. Aronda Nyakairima said at the opening of the army week at Mubende Rehabilitation Centre (MRC) on Monday that Kony should surrender or risk being killed. Kony is the leader of the rebel Lord’s Resistance Army.
"Before the end of this dry season, we are going back to southern Sudan. We must attack Kony and his commanders if they don’t surrender," he said. Nyakairima said Kony is left with only two commanders: Vincent Otti and Rosca Lukwiya. He said the two commanders are hiding in a camp in southern Sudan. He said the army has located the camps. He, however, did not disclose the location and how many soldiers are to be deployed in the hunt.
| I hope it's lots of soldiers. They didn't do really spectacularly when they tried this before... |
Operation Iron Fist was launched after Uganda signed a joint protocol with Sudan allowing the UPDF access to rebel bases inside Sudan. The rebels, however, later sneaked back into Uganda and spread their operations into the Teso and Lango regions. Nyakairima said the rebels have been completely flashed out of Teso and Lango. The army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza said Operation Iron Fist has been a big success. He said the army has rescued 7,380 abducted children and killed 900 rebels including 52 top commanders, among them Yardin Nyeko and Charles Tabuley. |