The LRA Crisis Tracker, a joint project of Invisible Children and Resolve, just released its Mid-Year Security Brief (PDF).
Below we highlight a couple of trends and conclusions that we can see in LRA activity. Resolve’s blog has a full summary of the conclusions.
LRA abductions are increasing, but trends indicate they’re mostly abducting people to be porters, not future child soldiers.
47.6% of all reported abductees escaped or were released within 72 hours of being abducted
70.6% were adults and 67.3% were males, of abductions in which age and/or gender was recorded
LRA attacks are getting less deadly
Only 10% of reported LRA attacks included a civilian death in the first half of 2012, compared with 30% in 2011 and 34.7% in 2010.
Other armed groups may be taking advantage of insecurity caused by the LRA.
In addition to the 190 reported LRA attacks in the first half of 2012, the Crisis Tracker recorded 59 attacks by unknown perpetrators. The perpetrators for these attacks could be LRA forces, rogue military personnel, or bandits.
In the 6 weeks after LRA commander Caesar Achellam was taken into custody, at least 8 more LRA members defected as a result.
Over all, 149 people either escaped or defected from the LRA from January – June 2012.
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