KOTIDO – Three Karamojong cattle rustlers have been killed in a one-hour gun clash with the army in Kotido district Karamoja sub region.
The incident that took place on the night of Monday, December 16 has caused panic among the communities who have lived for nearly ten years without hearing gunshots.
Maj Telesphar Turyamumanya, the UPDF 3rd division Spokesperson said the Karimojong warriors from Moroto had crossed to raid animals in Kotido district and they were driving them to Moroto through Kenya, Uganda border.
He said three warriors were put out of action, injuring one who is currently under the care of UPDF in Moroto UPDF 3rd division headquarters.
“They were 19 in number and five of them were armed so they were and raided animals from Nakapelimoru sub-county in Kotido district at around 5 pm when the army got the information we laid our ambush and by around 11 pm of Monday they entered and we had exchange but we overpowered them,” he said.
Maj. Turamumanya said the army recovered one submachine gun and all the raided 35 cattle and one donkey adding that no soldier got injured in the battle.
PML Daily has learned that the current peace in Karamoja is getting lost looking at the high rate of security incidents happening in the region.
From October 15, over 15 raided that have happened in Karamoja where leaders of Kotido claim they have lost over 4,000 cattle to raiders from Moroto and Turkana of Kenya.
On Friday last week a Member of Parliament for Kibale county Mr. Richard Oseku Oriebo survived an ambushed laid by suspected Karimojong warriors.
Mr. Oseku who before going to parliament worked as regional internal security officer (RISO) Kidepo region based in Kotido was traveling with his entire family to Kotido to attend the marriage anniversary of one of his long friend, none of his family members got injured in the ambush.
