The government of Uganda has welcomed the decision by the United States government to send troops to help in fighting the notorious Lords Resistance Army rebels.

This follows an announcement by US President Barack Obama on Friday that the US government has sent100 troops to help Uganda track down rebel chief Joseph Kony and other senior LRA leaders in an effort to end the 26 year old LRA operations.

LRA leader, Joseph Kony

The US president however said the US troops will not be involved in active fighting but providing technical support to the armies of Uganda, DRC, Sotuh Sudan and CAR in fighting the LRA. The US government is due to agree with the respective governments on the cooperative operations.

Henry Okello Oryem, the acting Uganda minister for Foreign Affairs told journalists in Kampala on Saturday that Uganda welcomes the US government gesture and hopes it will help in dealing a final blow to the LRA rebels.

“”We wanted our friends to help in providing technical support — such as intelligence — because they have the best. For 20 years, the government of Uganda has been pleading with our American and European friends to help in the LRA problem, because these are international terrorists,” Oryem said.

LRA which started fighting the government of President Yoweri Museveni in 1986 are currently active in Central Africa Republic after years of fighting in northern Uganda, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo. They are accused of committing gross atrocities including abduction, rape, murder, torture and destruction of property in all these countries.

LRA leader Joseph Kony and two of his remaining top commanders have been indicted by the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity but have continued to be elusive since the failed peace agreement with the Uganda government in 2006 that saw the end of active LRA activities in northern Uganda.

Ultimate Media