| Gulu
A SENIOR LRA rebel commander, Col. Anaka Opiro, has been shot dead in combat with UPDF soldiers in Gulu district.
Opiro was killed alongside three other rebel fighters yesterday morning in his home village in Patira-Anyomotil, five kilometers from Anaka Camp.
The battle took place at 3am when a group of UPDF soldiers led by Lt. A.P Otim surrounded his residence at his original homestead and a fire fight ensued resulting into his death. His Aide de camp (ADC) whose name could not be established was injured and captured by government forces. He has been admitted to Anaka Hospital.
The mother of the dead LRA officer wailed when the body of her son was brought in from the battle front.
?This is the body of my son, look at how brown he is.? Said the bereaved old woman amidst sobbing.
Until Wednesday morning, Opiro was the commander of Trinkle Brigade charged with wrecking havoc in Nwoya and Kilak counties according to the Operation Iron Fist Intell
igence Coordinator, Col. Charles Otema Awany.
The 4th Division Commanding Officer, Col. Nathan Mugisha, flew journalists aboard a chopper to the frontline to witness results of the battle.
Senior former LRA officers Brig. Sam Kolo, Kenneth Banya accompanied by colleagues were taken to Anaka to see the remains of Opiro.
Mugisha said he was at the frontline to give a decent burial to his counterpart.
He said it was not good that he died but there was no alternative to save his life during a fire-fight.
? I have come to bury my counterpart Col. Opiro Anaka. We regret his death but there was no alternative. Please give him a decent burial and may the Almighty God keep his soul in peace,? Mugisha said before telling the relatives to go and pick the body from Anaka Hospital mortuary.
Opiro commanded the massive killing of people of Koch Goma IDP Camp recently.
Three sub-machine guns plus 200 rounds of ammunition were captured during the fire-
fight.
Mugisha called on the rebel collaborators living in Anaka Camp to work for peace by telling their brothers and sisters to return home.
The LRA rebels have fought President Yoweri Museveni?s government for more than 18 years. They have killed many people and led others to Internally Displaced Peoples?camps. | 
