Ugandan Rebels Kill Over 100 Civilians
By HENRY WASSWA
.c The Associated Press
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) - Rebels in northern Uganda have killed more than 100 civilians during five days of raids, the head of the regional government charged Monday.
The Lord's Resistance Army has been raiding villages in Lira district daily, and more than 100 bodies have been found between Wednesday and Saturday, Franco Ojur, the district chairman said by telephone Monday.
``Many more bodies are being discovered in the bushes and the death toll is about 100. Most people have fled the villages, but those remaining are discovering the bodies in the bushes,'' Ojur said. ``They are killing almost 20 people per day in Lira.''
Lt. Chris Magezi, an army spokesman based in Lira, 170 miles north of Kampala, said he could only confirm that about 40 people had been hacked to death with machetes and clubs since Wednesday in attacks by the rebels.
The insurgency by the Lord's Resistance Army, a shadowy guerrilla force which took up arms 16 years ago to fight the government in Kampala, has displaced over a million people and killed thousands in attacks on mostly civilian targets.
The raids in northern Uganda have intensified as government troops have attacked their bases in southern Sudan and have pursued them more aggressively inside Uganda.
More than 3,000 people have abandoned their homes and fled by foot to the district headquarters in Lira town for protection, humanitarian groups said Monday.
11/10/03 06:14 EST
