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| Uganda restarts raids on rebels | |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| The Ugandan army says it has resumed operations to hunt down Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in northern Uganda, despite peace talks. | The Ugandan army says it has resumed operations to hunt down Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in northern Uganda, despite peace talks. |
| Rebels only partially met a September deadline to leave the bush and gather in neutral zones in southern Sudan. | |
| "They have abused the cessation of hostilities agreement," the army said. | "They have abused the cessation of hostilities agreement," the army said. |
| An army spokesman said the move should not derail talks between the government and rebels, which are seen as the best chance of ending the 20-year conflict. | An army spokesman said the move should not derail talks between the government and rebels, which are seen as the best chance of ending the 20-year conflict. |
| "This has nothing to do with the peace process which should continue," Maj Felix Kulayigye said. | "This has nothing to do with the peace process which should continue," Maj Felix Kulayigye said. |
| Return | Return |
| He pointed out that according to the terms of a ceasefire deal, LRA fighters should have assembled in the holding camps more that a fortnight ago. | He pointed out that according to the terms of a ceasefire deal, LRA fighters should have assembled in the holding camps more that a fortnight ago. |
| "They have failed to do so," he told the BBC. "We can't just fold our arms and do nothing." | "They have failed to do so," he told the BBC. "We can't just fold our arms and do nothing." |
| He said army troops would now go back to the positions they withdrew from following the signing of a truce. | |
| "For the last 34 days we have religiously observed the cessation of hostilities. However the time must come when we continue with our work." | "For the last 34 days we have religiously observed the cessation of hostilities. However the time must come when we continue with our work." |
| Response | Response |
| LRA deputy rebels chief Vincent Otti said they did not want to fight, but talk, telling Reuters news agency by phone from near the Uganda/Sudan border that the LRA needed more time to move fighters. | LRA deputy rebels chief Vincent Otti said they did not want to fight, but talk, telling Reuters news agency by phone from near the Uganda/Sudan border that the LRA needed more time to move fighters. |
| "Those who are left in northern Uganda will not do any harm to the UPDF [army]. They will not attack civilians, we will not ambush vehicles, but if the UPDF attacks us we will defend ourselves," he said. | "Those who are left in northern Uganda will not do any harm to the UPDF [army]. They will not attack civilians, we will not ambush vehicles, but if the UPDF attacks us we will defend ourselves," he said. |
| Rebel fighters are supposed to be in two camps in southern Sudan to the east and eest of the River Nile. | |
| Diplomats say that more than 1,500 fighters are now in the area of the camps - although the LRA are concerned that they could be attacked by Ugandan troops, and so live a few kilometres outside the designated camps. | |
| The Ugandans are said to have close to 1,000 troops in southern Sudan, ensuring that the LRA does not infiltrate back into the country | |
| The rebels have abducted thousands of children and forced them to fight since the conflict in the north began two decades ago. | The rebels have abducted thousands of children and forced them to fight since the conflict in the north began two decades ago. |
| More than one million people have fled their homes because of the fighting. | More than one million people have fled their homes because of the fighting. |
| The peace talks taking place in Juba in southern Sudan have been characterised by deadlock and rumours of walk-outs, but mediators remain optimistic, with discussions under way on social development and political issues. |