Central African Rep. Prepares To Resist LRA Rebels

Earlier this month, Congo said it had received intelligence that LRA members were preparing to enter Central African Republic.

Central African Republic will send more troops to its border with Democratic Republic of Congo to guard against incursions by Ugandan rebel group the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), its defence minister said on Monday. Uganda, Congo and South Sudan launched a joint offensive against Congo-based LRA fighters in December, but the rebels have in recent weeks killed hundreds of people in villages along the Congolese border with Central African Republic and Sudan.

Earlier this month, Congo said it had received intelligence that LRA members were preparing to enter Central African Republic, fleeing the Ugandan-led assault on their bases in Garamba National Park in northeastern Congo.

"We will ... send an additional number of men (to the border) because it is strongly possible that in its flight, the LRA will return to our territory where it came in 2008 and abducted several of our citizens," said Jean Francis Bozize.

Last February and March, hundreds of LRA fighters loyal to leader Joseph Kony, who is wanted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court, entered Central African Republic from bases in northern Congo. They kidnapped around 150 people and looted homes in the poor former French colony.

The LRA has not set foot in Central African Republic since then, said Bozize, who is the son of President Francois Bozize.

Central African Republic had already posted soldiers along its southeast border with Congo in case the LRA attempted to return, Bozize said, but that number would be increased.

"The president has agreed to support the Ugandan army in the campaign it is waging against Jospeh Kony's rebels," he said.