LRA leader Joseph Kony has killed twenty-one of his closest family members, the army has said.
| I've occasionally thought about doing that, but then they do the dishes and the feeling passes... |
Those killed reportedly include his eldest wife, Akwilino Akwir, whom Kony fondly referred to as Maama Fatuma ["She of the Inviting Thighs"], his second wife, Oyella ["Slender Nell"], his sons; Saddam, Achila, Obol, Orama and their sisters who had no names were yet to be identified by the army. His other son, Ali and wife Min Olik were reportedly injured and are now back in Southern Sudan as captives.
| Of whom? LRA? Sudanese? Ugandan army? Gypsies? |
Col. Charles Otema Awany, Chief of Intelligence under the Operation Iron Fist, revealed this at a press conference he called on yesterday.
| "Youse guyz ain't gonna believe this, but..." |
He said that about 26 members of Kony’s family had decided to escape and come back home because of a serious famine in Southern Sudan. However, before they could cross over to Uganda, Kony sent his loyalist troops to pursue them. Upon catching up with them they opened fire, killing 21 in the process. Otema said that this happened, December 31, in Southern Sudan - between Katire and Pajok, South of Torit. "The children and the wives saw the suffering they were going through and decided to come back home but Kony sent his loyalist troops and killed them," the Col. said.
| "Will no one rid me of this meddlesome family?" |
"Four of those who survived the massacre were taken back to Southern Sudan as prisoners. Kony could not allow these people to escape because he feared that they would reveal his secrets," Otema said. "We feel that members of the public should know this because it shows a lot about the brutality of Kony, killing ones own children is a taboo in Acholi."
| Acholi sounds like most places in that respect. Guppies eat their young, but most of us higher orders somehow refrain from it... |
Meanwhile, heavy bombing could be heard from Gulu town on Friday morning as a Mig 24 fighter engaged LRA fighters in Omot, Aswa County about 30km North-East of Gulu town.
"Charles! Fire up the plane."
"Not... the Plane?" |
In a separate incident, LRA fighters Thursday night attacked Bobi, 15 km from Gulu town, and abducted an unspecified number of people. Six of those abducted were however rescued according Col. Otema. Two of the rebels who carried out the attack were killed by the UPDF. |