LRA Men Abduct 30 Pupils in Gulu
New Vision (Kampala)
February 28, 2003
Posted to the web February 28, 2003
Dennis Ojwee
Kampala
REBELS of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) on Wednesday invaded Abung Primary School in Koch Ongako sub-county south-west of Gulu, and abducted over 30 pupils.
The rebels, who struck between 8.00am and 9.00am, released about 11 pupils aged below 11, saying the were too young.
The rebels also abducted 11 secondary school students from Oxford School in Kitgum town yesterday.
Security sources in Kitgum estimated that the rebels numbered about 30 and were armed.
The school administrators told The New Vision the rebels carried out the invasion in the morning.
This is the first attack on Gulu schools since the end of last year when the rebels raided most of the primary schools and looted foodstuffs distributed by the World Food Programme (WFP).
The army spokesman based in northern Uganda, Lt. Paddy Ankunda, said he was aware of the abductions but did not give details.
Local security sources estimated the number of the rebels who crossed from the eastern side of Omoro in Lalogi and Lakwana sub-counties to be between 30 and 40 .
The rebels had of recent been concentrating their activities in Pader and Kitgum districts but more significantly in Pader district where they abducted, looted foodstuffs and staged road ambushes.
Sources said another group of rebels had entered the area and again attempted to abduct pupils at Wii-Awor-Anga Primary School near to Lacor Hospital.
