From William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN correspondent in Gulu, Uganda -

A senior Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) commander, who is the suspected masterminded behind the ambush of a bus in which twelve died on Monday, has been killed by Ugandan military forces in Gulu district of northern Uganda.

This was revealed to Uganda-CAN by the forth division army spokesman, Lieutenant Chris Magezi, today from his base in Gulu town. He said efforts were still being made to identify the seven dead rebel fighters. Many other rebels fled, and are being chased by Ugandan soldiers.

Road security has been stepped up in the area following a series of deadly attacks over the weekend, marking an increasing willingness of LRA commanders to attack in daylight and in risky situations. While military operations have been intensifying, efforts to negotiate a political resolution to the conflict have stalled following the release of indictments for top LRA leaders by the International Criminal Court.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

A top Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) commander, identified as Major Opio Joseph, surrendered to the army yesterday at Panyango in Pakwach District. Major Opio is charged with organizing the attack and death of British tourist and former official, Steve Willis, in Murchison Falls last week. Major Opio surrendered with his wife, two escorts, two guns and two magazines. The northern army spokesman Lieutenant Chris Magezi called on those still in the bush to come out and benefit from the still-valid amnesty law.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

Retired Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye was arrested today in a Kampala suburb. For more on the nature of his arrest and riots in Kampala, click here for BBC News reports.

It has been barely one month since the leader of the Forum for Democratic Change, retired Colonel Dr. Kizza Besigye returned to the country. Besigye was in Gulu recently were he pulled a big crowd with thousands gracing the heavy rains to listen to him and his vision for the people in the internally displaced peoples' camps in northern Uganda.

Uganda-CAN spoke with many people in Gulu, finding the mood rather tense and only a few people ready to comment about the FDC president's arrest.

Northern Uganda's insidious rebel group led by Joseph Kony, the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), will be engaged by southern Sudanese forces in due time, affirmed Salva Kiir, newly-appointed Vice President of Sudan.

Kiir, the leader of the Sudan Peoples' Liberation Army/Movement (SPLA/M), wrapped up his diplomatic tour of Washington, DC last night with an open meeting for members of the Sudanese diaspora living in the United States. He cast dealing with the LRA as one of the top three priorities for rebuilding southern Sudan, along with engaging the ruling National Congress Party on issues of governance and assisting former refugees with reconstruction of southern Sudan.

"We are very clear in our position that we want the problem of the LRA and the Government of Uganda to be resolved peacefully." If that were not to happen, Kiir remarked, and the LRA were not to depart southern Sudan, SPLA forces would be forced to engage the LRA directly.

Pushed by a Uganda-CAN correspondent on the specifics, Kiir said that, "It was agreed that the Ugandan military, Sudanese military, and SPLA would conduct joint operations against the LRA in southern Sudan. This has not yet started because preparations are still underway... There is no timetable for that matter."

It is unclear how Kiir expects to confront suspicions that the Government of Sudan maintains its support for the LRA, providing resources and protection, as they were known to be doing for years. Kiir also did not address how recent indictments from the International Court and skepticism from Ugandan President Youweri Museveni about the prospects for peaceful resolution would affect the crisis.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

The army reports that it has killed five Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels in three different attacks carried out in Gulu, Adjumani and Pader districts. Northern region new army spokesman Lt. Chris Magezi confirmed this to Uganda-CAN.

Magezi said five guns with several bullets were recovered from the fleeing rebels, along with a good deal of looted property. He said one UPDF soldier was injured during the
shootout against the LRA rebels at Ayago Bridge along Karuma Pakwach road.

Magezi also said these pockets of rebels were the ones that last week ambushed and killed humanitarian relief workers in Kitgum and Pader district.

William Bionx Akena, Uganda-CAN news correspondent in Gulu town, reports -

Honorable Betty Akech, the minister for security, has said there is a need to investigate the spiritual dimension of Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army and the rebellion that has lasted for nearly two decades.

She said this while speaking with Uganda-CAN during the closure of a two-week training workshop for ex-combatants in peace building and management at Gulu University. She said the investigation would help the government and the general public to map strategies on how the war could be brought to an end.