LRA chief captured
May 13, 2012
Uganda's People's Defence Forces (PDF) said Caesar Achellam, a major-general in Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) of about 200 rebels was captured Sunday in an ambush along the banks of the Mbou River. The high-ranking rebel was reportedly captured in the Central African Republic, one of several countries where the Ugandan-led LRA are operating.
Army spokesperson Felix Kulayigye said Achellam had been armed with a rifle and ammunition. He is being held with his wife, young daughter, and another rebel member.
This brings the PDF a step closer to capturing LRA leader Jospeh Kony, one of three chiefs wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) on war crimes charges. Kony is wanted by the ICC for rape, mutilation and murder of civilians, in addition to forcibly recruiting children to serve as soldiers and sex slaves.
Kony, the most wanted LRA member has gained global notoriety over the past six months through an Internet video "Kony 2012" which went viral and has been viewed by tens of millions of people since being posted by US advocacy group Invisible Children.
jlw/mz (Reuters, AFP, dp)