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Lord's Resistance Army insurgency facts for kids

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Lord's Resistance Army insurgency
Date 1987–present
(38 years)
Location
Northern Uganda (until 2006), South Sudan, eastern Congo-Kinshasha, Central African Republic
Status

Ongoing

  • Founder and leader of the LRA Joseph Kony goes into hiding
  • Senior LRA commander Dominic Ongwen surrenders to American forces in the Central African Republic and is tried at the Hague
  • Majority of LRA installations and encampments located in South Sudan and Uganda abandoned and dismantled
  • Small scale LRA activity continues in eastern DR Congo, and the Central African Republic
Belligerents

 Uganda
 DR Congo
 Central African Republic
 South Sudan
 Arrow Boys
United Nations MONUC
Supported by:

 United States
(2011–2017)

Lord's Resistance Army
Supported by:

 Sudan (1994–2002)
Commanders and leaders

Uganda Yoweri Museveni
Democratic Republic of the Congo Joseph Kabila
South Sudan Salva Kiir

United Nations Alan Doss

Joseph Kony
Vincent Otti Executed
Raska Lukwiya  †
Okot Odiambo  †
Dominic Ongwen Surrendered

Alphonse Lamola
Units involved

Uganda UPDF
Democratic Republic of the Congo FARDC
Central African Republic FACA<
SPLA

United States SOF		 No specific units
Strength

2002:
Uganda 65,000–75,000
2010:
Uganda 46,800
2014:
Uganda 1,500

United States 300 advisers

1990:
200–800
1998:
6,000
2007:
500–3,000
2014:

240
Casualties and losses
Unknown ~600 killed (2009–2010)

100,000+ killed

400,000–430,000+ displaced

The Lord's Resistance Army insurgency is a long-lasting conflict in Africa. It started in 1987. The group fighting is called the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA). As of 2020, the LRA is still somewhat active. They are mostly in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Central African Republic.

Joseph Kony leads the LRA. He claims to be a "spokesperson" for God. The LRA wants to remove Yoweri Museveni and his government in Uganda. They want to create a government based on religious rules and Acholi traditions.

This conflict has caused a huge humanitarian crisis. Many people have been harmed. The International Criminal Court says the LRA has done very bad things. This includes forcing people to do things against their will, kidnapping civilians, and treating people very badly. The LRA has caused the deaths of about 100,000 civilians. Also, over 400,000 people have had to leave their homes.

How the Conflict Started

In January 1986, a group called the National Resistance Army (NRA) took control of Uganda. This group was led by Yoweri Museveni. He became the new President. The previous president, Tito Okello, was from the Acholi ethnic group.

After the NRA took power, there was a lot of trouble. When the NRA tried to take control of the whole country, their soldiers did many bad things to the Acholi people. This made some Acholi people want to fight back against these actions.

People also worried that the Acholi might lose their usual control of the national military. They were also concerned that the NRA would want revenge for past violence. By August 1986, a full rebellion had started in northern areas where the new government's soldiers were present.

Images for kids

  • Uganda night commuters - full room

    A room of child "night commuters"

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Insurgencia del Ejército de Resistencia del Señor para niños

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