A group of rebels who were behind Sunday’s attack on the Congolese army detach at Bunagana near the Uganda Congo border have surrendered to the Ugandan authorities.
The group comprising of nine rebels gave up the fighting and handed over their military equipment to the Uganda Peoples Defense Forces.
The surrender comes after the rebels were overpowered by the Congolese government forces who were brought in to save the situation and later regained control of the detach.
More than 2000 people are said to have been displaced by the clashes and are currently camping at Nyakabande reception centre in Kisoro district.
According to Captain Robert Kamara, the western region army spokesperson, the rebels who include two at the rank of Major, a captain and six others handed over 9 sub machine guns, one G2 gun and six walk-talkies to the UPDF soldiers in Busanza Sub county, Kisoro District.
Kamara reveals that the rebels who are now being held in Busanza will be handed over to the Office of the Prime Minister to decide on the next step. He however declined to reveal the identities of those who surrendered.
Mujabwami Threstine, a resident of Busanza told URN reporter that the rebels came with their hands up and handed over their equipment to the UPDF who were watching over the Border.
Some of the Congolese government soldiers who on Sunday fled to Uganda after the Bunagagana detach was overrun by forces royal to former rebel leader renegade General Bosco Ntaganda, were yesterday handed over to their government.
The soldiers were handed over to the Congolese authorities and their weapons returned to them so that they could go back and re-occupy their positions.
Gideon Ahebwa, the deputy resident district commissioner Kisoro revealed that the soldiers told the Ugandan authorities that they had abandoned their positions to avoid bloodshed.
Safari Clovis, one of the refugees at Nyakabande reception centre Refugees told URN that he and other refugees were surprised to see many of their country’s soldiers removing uniforms and running away alongside the civilians. Safari says that the forces usually arrive when the rebels have finished torturing people and stealing their animals and household property.
