Army to rescue ADF captive

The Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) is planning a mission to rescue Kenneth Ayebare, a soldier abducted recently by the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). Ugandan army spokesman Captain Shaban Bantariza declined to give details of the operation. “This is a hostage situation which involves the family of the abducted soldier and the army. That is why we should limit the publicity of the whole issue,” he told IRIN.

On Thursday, the Ugandan army commander Major General Jeje-Odong told the ‘Monitor’ newspaper that everything possible would be done to rescue the soldier who was captured two weeks ago in eastern DRC. “We will never abandon any of our own anywhere,” he said. Ugandan security sources told IRIN that as chief clerk to Chief of Staff James Kazini, the soldier was in charge of keeping records of the army’s strategy against the ADF.