AU forces start hunt for Joseph Kony

2012-09-18 22:35

The leader of the Lord's Resistance Army Joseph Kony. (AFP Files)

Kampala - A military official says Ugandan troops tracking infamous rebel leader Joseph Kony have handed over command of the operation to African Union troops from Uganda, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

The ceremony took place on Tuesday in the South Sudanese town of Nzara, said Ugandan Major Alex Ahabyona, an intelligence officer for the Kony operation.

The AU force, which was announced early this year, had failed to start earlier because of lack of equipment and troops. It remains unclear how many of the proposed 5 000 troops have been amassed, although the handover ceremony suggests they have enough to start with. The force will be led by Ugandan Colonel Dick Olum.

Some 100 US troops are helping regional governments to eliminate Kony and his murderous Lord's Resistance Army.

- AP