The Lord'
s Resistance
Army (LRA), led by Joseph Kony, operated in the north from bases in southern Sudan. The LRA committed numerous abuses and atrocities, including the abduction, rape, maiming, and killing of civilians, including
children. In addition to destabilizing northern Uganda from bases in Sudan, the LRA congregated in the Bunia area in eastern Congo. They linked up with the
Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALIR) and other rebel groups that were battling with forces from the Rally for Congolese Democracy (RCD).
The Lord's Resistance Army continued to kill, torture, maim, rape, and abduct large numbers of civilians, virtually enslaving numerous
children. Although its levels of activity diminished somewhat compared with 1997, the area that the LRA targeted grew. The LRA sought to overthrow the Ugandan
Government and inflicted brutal violence on the population in northern Uganda. LRA forces also targeted local
government officials and employees. The LRA also targeted international humanitarian convoys and local NGO workers.