LRA rebels chief Joseph Kony's deputy Vicent Otti was injured in the leg in fierce battles that saw 92 fighters of LRA rebels killed in the past few days, the army said yesterday.
The army also recovered 55 short machine guns, 19 bombs and 797 bullets.
| "439 of the bullets were recovered on the wing..." |
An army spokesman in Gulu, Lt. Ronald Kakurungu, said 10 more rebels' bodies were found on Sunday in Bibia in Gulu and Pagirinya in Zaipi subcounty in Adjumani district, bringing the death toll of the Saturday battle to 62. The army attributed the victory to helicopter gunship bombardments combined with the infantry from 79th and 11th battalions. The weekly report for March 14-21 said four UPDF soldiers were killed and four others injured in clashes in Gulu, Pader, Kitgum, Lira and Apac districts. Captured LRA fighters said Otti crossed with about 300 fighters to overthrow the Government as the UPDF entered Sudan to pursue the rebels.
| "Hah! They're in Sudan, chasing us! Let's overthrow the gummint whilst their backs are turned!" |
Kakunguru said Otti was running out of fighters because most of the fighters he came with were either killed or captured as prisoners of war.
| Time to harvest another crop, I guess... |
Northern region army spokesman Lt. Paddy Ankunda said this was a big death toll compared to recent statistics. He said Otti, who led a fighting force through Bibia in Kilak county at the weekend, "wants to divert us and save his boss Joseph Kony. He said Otti was playing diversionary tactics but the army was prepared for the trick. "We shall continue to hunt Kony and still hunt Otti," Ankunda said. |