Ochan
======================================
- otti obwot
- Aranyi: Latin pa adui ma kicelo (tye malo) ki lutino anyira LRA ma bene kineko gi
LRA's Otti is Injured
New Vision (Kampala)
March 23, 2004
Posted to the web March 23, 2004
Chris Ochowun and Amazia Dradenya
Kampala
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.
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.
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.
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.
He said in the past week, the army rescued 54 children and captured nine rebel fighters.
Thirteen others surrendered.
Ankunda said Captain Kavuma, who failed to stop the rebel attack on Lira-Palwo displaced peoples camp, would be court-martialled. Kavuma, who was reportedly on a drinking spree at the time of the attack, was arrested on Sunday on the orders of Lt. Col. Paul Lokech, the 503 brigade commander.
Ankunda said contrary to earlier reports which put the civilian death toll to 30, "we found that 12 civilians were killed by the rebels in Lira-Palwo camp."
In Adjumani, Kony rebels who survived last Saturday Bibia battle are causing problems in Pakirinya, Bari and Arinyati parishes of Adjumani. The army killed five rebels in Pakirinya on Sunday.
Relevant Links
East Africa
Uganda
Civil War and Communal Conflict
Adjumani district chairman, Nixon Owole, on Sunday appealed to motorists not to ply the Adjumani-Gulu road. He advised travellers to travel through Arua.
In another battle on Sunday on Adjumani-Kilak border, the army freed seven children.
NB: I hope you will find time to read and sign a petition to stop the Northern Uganda carnage at: http://www.petitiononline.com/savacoli/petition.html
<<inline: 52e88a.jpg>>
