The military government of the Central Africa Republic has said that the commander of the Lord Resistance Army LRA, Joseph Kony is in talks with the country for a possible surrender to the International Criminal Court.
Joseph Kony, 51, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for crime against humanity for operating a guerrilla movement called the Lord Resistance Army LRA which is accused by the ICC and the US of committing atrocities in Uganda and neighboring countries. The US has offered up to $5m (£3.3m) for information leading to his arrest.
An anonymous official of the Central Africa Republic government told the BBC’s Newsday program that Kony was in the country but wanted his security to be guaranteed before giving himself up.
It is believed that special US forces are pursuing Joseph Kony and he has been a fugitive in recent months.
But there were reports in Uganda on late Wednesday that the African Union’s special envoy investigating the Lord Resistance Army, Francisco Madeira, told the United Nations Security Council that Kony had been suffering from a serious illness.
In April this year, the Ugandan army suspended a search for Kony in the Central Africa Republic, accusing the country military government of making the search-party difficult for the army.
Joseph Kony was estimated to have between 200-500 fighters and they have been fighting the Ugandan government for more than 20 years.
Joseph Kony claims the Lord Resistance Army’s mission is to install a government in Uganda based on the Ten Commandments given to the prophet Moses on Mount Sinai during the exodus period of the Israelites.
But his fighters have terrorized a lot of people in neighboring countries including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan and the Central Africa Republic.
Joseph Kony is therefore wanted by the International Criminal Court accused of rape, mutilation and murder of civilians, as well as forcibly recruiting children to serve as soldiers and sex slaves.
Issaka Adams / NationalTurk Africa News
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