Uganda: Comboni mission attacked
A Comboni mission centre was attacked by rebels on Thursday. The Missionary News Service report that the Comboni Catholic Mission of Aliwang, 50km north east of Lira, in north Uganda, was attacked by LRA (Lord's Resistance Army) rebels around 2pm local time. They were driven off by the regular Ugandan army. Several people died in the fighting. The Comboni Fathers run a parish, a small maternity ward and a secondary school at Aliwang. The MISNA report says the rebels did not target civilians. After leaving Aliwang they went to a local market about 3km away, where they stole food and looted the entire market. Rebel movement in the region has increased in recent weeks. Missionary sources have expressed fears of a larger attack in northern Uganda. The Ugandan army has stepped up its presence. MISNA report that for the first time, on Tuesday, the troops from Kampala used tanks. A humanitarian crisis is also developing in Lira as thousands of Sudanese refugees have arrived this week, fleeing from the refugee camp at Acholi-Pii, which was attacked by rebels last Monday, killing more than 50 people.