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Last Friday, we shared the news that 14 LRA members were killed by the UPDF. Here is a breakdown of the events with information taken from the Daily Monitor, LRA expert Ledio Cajak, and our own Lisa Dougan.

About the event:

– At about 1:30 PM on Thursday, November 28th, Ugandan soldiers under the African Union Regional Task Force (AU-RTF) against the LRA, with technical and logistical support from U.S. military advisors, intercepted a large LRA group en route to meet another LRA group in the Central African Republic on the banks of River Vovodo.

– The LRA group intercepted by the Ugandan military was allegedly set to rendezvous with another group commanded by Dominic Ongwen, one of the three remaining LRA commanders indicted by the International Criminal Court.

– 14 LRA members were killed, including Samuel Kangul, whom the Ugandan military alleges was Joseph Kony’s fourth in command.

– A spokesperson for the Ugandan military said it recovered 10 AK-47 rifles, a general-purpose PK machine gun, 5 pistols, and more than 10,000 bullets. Also recovered: high frequency radio, satellite, and cell phone handsets.

About Samuel Kangul:

– He was most likely abducted by the LRA in his early teen years, now putting him in his late 20’s or early 30’s. It is likely that he formerly served as a bodyguard within the LRA and more recently became the leader of a satellite group of the LRA. Invisible Children has found no evidence indicating that he was actually Kony’s fourth in command, but this does not take away from the significance of his role within the rebel army.

– There are an estimated 10-12 young commanders like Kangul currently within the LRA. It is important to note that LRA’s leadership structure is not based on a hierarchical system. Kony directly appoints all leaders within the LRA.

Official statements from leading experts:

“This [success] leaves the LRA in the most vulnerable position. They either renounce the rebellion, release all the kidnapped children and women and surrender or perish in the jungles.” – Maj Robert Ngabirano, UPDF deputy spokesman

“Due to this military pressure, all the LRA top leaders are now on the run as the RTF troops pursue them. Consequently, attacks and abductions by LRA have significantly reduced, while the safety and security of civilians, as well as the overall humanitarian situation, have improved.” – African Union statement from Friday, November 29

“Last week’s operation in CAR by African Union forces indicates that pressure is mounting against Joseph Kony and his LRA commanders, and that their historic safe havens are shrinking. But as pressure on the LRA’s leadership intensifies, there must also be an increased efforts to facilitate the safe defection of women, children, and lower level fighters within the LRA.” – Lisa Dougan, Invisible Children’s Director of Civic Engagement

“The river basin has been denied now as an area LRA previously had freedom of movement.” – U.S. Special Forces adviser in South Sudan, speaking to Reuters on the condition of anonymity

 “I think that the Ugandan military’s claims that [Kangul] is the 4th ranking commander in the LRA is a bit misleading because Kangul is part of a younger generation of LRA officers who were abducted as kids and brainwashed to become loyal to Kony. Like many others of his generation, he was used by Kony to replace a generation of older commanders who, as years went by, Kony began to distrust — partly because they became too independent, and partly because many of them had previous experience with military forces before the LRA and were not as dedicated to the group perhaps.” – Paul Ronan, The Resolve’s Director of Policy

Listen to Paul Ronan’s full audio report:
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Invisible Children is working to encourage the peaceful surrender and escape of members of Joseph Kony’s Lord’s Resistance Army by facilitating “come home” messages via flier distribution and radio programming. These crucial initiatives are proven to work and entirely funded by donors. Consider making a donation to see a peaceful end to the atrocities of Joseph Kony’s LRA.