Kampala — AT LEAST 13 combatants of the Lords Resistance Army (LRA) have surrendered to the UPDF with guns from September 15 to October 7.

Reports from Gulu's fourth division said a few LRA fighters had started escaping to the UPDF to surrender from various pursuits due to helicopter bombings.

The source said the UPDF would try to improve its targeting methods to try to save the lives of abductees.

The source said while they bombed the enemy, they tried to ensure that the civilians in the settlements in some villages that are not within rebels hideouts and training camps, were safe.

The spokesman UPDF fourth division, Lt. Paddy Ankunda, said the helicopters would be used whenever there were rebels in Gulu, Kitgum or Pader districts.

The UPDF intelligence also revealed that many LRA rebel fighters were believed to have been injured during the bombing.

Security sources from villages said rebel groups were scattered and moved in small rather than in large visible groups.

The overall northern operations intelligence officer, Lt. Col. Charles Otema-Awany, said the army was seriously hunting the LRA.