The UPDF has deployed heavily along Karuma road to protect travellers from possible ambushes by Kony rebels.

According to security sources, there are groups of five soldiers every 200 metres apart patrolling the road to West Nile through the Murchison Falls game park.

"There's a lot of improvement in our deployment here. The vehicles heading to and from West Nile move from 9:30 am to 7:00 p.m., while civilians living in the park carry on with their daily activities," their commander, who declined to be named, said yesterday.

Joseph Kony's Lord's Resistance Army rebels recently burnt down several vehicles in the park and abducted unspecified number of passengers, while others were seriously injured.

Division 4 spokesman, Lt. Paddy Ankunda, said that the army has improved its deployment in the Acholi sub-region.

"Yes, it's true we have beefed up security in the game park. That's why things have changed totally. There is total peace now in the general area," Ankunda said over phone.

Meanwhile, the people leaving in Wiya-Nono IDP camps, 20kms from Anaka, on Karuma -Pakwach road have appealed to the government to accept peace talks with the rebels in order to end the war in northern Uganda.