Tears and Relief in Gulu as UPDF Rescues 45 More Former LRA Fighters from Sudan

LCC TV NEWS

GULU CITY, Uganda – The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have successfully rescued another 45 former Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) fighters from South Darfur in Sudan, marking a significant breakthrough in ongoing regional efforts to bring a definitive end to the legacy of Joseph Kony’s decades-long insurgency.

This latest operation, confirmed by military intelligence officials, brings the total number of returnees repatriated to Uganda over the past month to 70. Just days earlier, on June 5, a separate group of 14 former captives—eight men, four women, and two children—were received in Gulu City to the sound of traditional Bwola dances and tearful embraces .

According to Maj Gen Richard Otto, the Chief of Military Intelligence, the 45 individuals rescued from the volatile tri-border region of Darfur are expected to be airlifted directly to Gulu Airfield in the coming days. Their arrival will signal the beginning of a long and delicate journey of rehabilitation and reintegration into a society many of them were forced to leave as children.

“These operations are the result of persistent intelligence-led engagements and cross-border collaboration,” Maj Gen Otto said. The rescued fighters, who had been living in hideouts south of Darfur near the borders of the Central African Republic (CAR) and Sudan, were extracted without a fight—a strategy Ugandan officials refer to as “psychological engagement” rather than direct confrontation .

‘We Have Chosen Reconciliation’

The atmosphere at the Office of the Prime Minister’s (OPM) rehabilitation centre in Laroo-Pece Division on Friday was one of cautious optimism. For the 14 who have already arrived—escorted from Juba, South Sudan, by UPDF officials—the reception was a stark contrast to the violence they fled .

Welcomed by cultural leaders from the Ker Kwaro Acholi, government officials, and representatives from the Japanese NGO Terra Renaissance, the returnees were reminded that they are viewed as victims, not villains.

“These returnees were not fought; they were convinced to come back home,” said Alex Oyet, Coordinator of Ker Kwaro Acholi, praising the UPDF’s psychological approach. “We applaud the UPDF because, in our view, they are not only soldiers but also psychologists” .

Ambrose Onoria, the Gulu City Resident Commissioner, speaking on behalf of State Minister Beatrice Akello Akori, urged the community to prioritize healing over retribution.

“When we heal together, we grow together,” Onoria said. “To the communities gathered here, we call upon all of us to choose reconciliation over revenge. Forgive, embrace, and walk with them so that together we can heal Northern Uganda faster” .

A Decades-Long Nightmare

The Lord’s Resistance Army, led by the elusive Joseph Kony, terrorized northern Uganda for nearly two decades before being pushed out into the dense forests of Central Africa in the mid-2000s. Notorious for the mass abduction of children—turning boys into child soldiers and girls into sex slaves—the group has left deep psychological scars on the Acholi sub-region .

While Kony remains at large, wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity, his network appears to be disintegrating. Data from Terra Renaissance indicates that between 2006 and 2025, some 488 former combatants and abductees have passed through rehabilitation programs in Gulu .

Many of those returning in this recent wave were abducted as children. According to military records, among those repatriated in recent weeks are individuals taken from Amuria District and other parts of Eastern Uganda as young as age 10, as well as South Sudanese nationals who were kidnapped from Yambio .

Life After the Bush

For the 70 returnees, the immediate future involves an 18-to-24-month rehabilitation program at the Gulu centre, run by Terra Renaissance. Here, they will receive trauma counseling, medical care, and vocational skills training—such as tailoring, carpentry, or agriculture—designed to help them build sustainable livelihoods .

The Ugandan government has also pledged to enroll them in wealth-creation schemes, including the Parish Development Model (PDM) and the Emyooga fund, to help them reintegrate economically .

“We are happy and applaud the government,” said Martin Okumu, Prime Minister of Ker Kwaro Acholi. “These are our family members and part of one community. I keep praying that no war ever breaks out again in Northern Uganda. For goodness’ sake, let us never have war again” .

As the UPDF continues its intelligence-led operations in the remote jungles of Darfur and the CAR, the dream of a final peace—one that outlasts Joseph Kony—feels, for the first time in years, tantalizingly close.

LCC TV NEWS