Kampala — Kony rebels on New Year's Day attacked a village dance hall, danced for several hours before hacking five people to death, the army said on Friday.

The Lord's Resistance Army rebels sneaked into the dance hall at Acet on Thursday and danced with the villagers for several hours before turning on them, said Lt. Paddy Ankunda, the Gulu-based 4 Division spokesman.

He said the rebels killed five people and injured two others using machetes and clubs.

Acet is about 40km south-east of Gulu.

Ankunda said the villagers were not protected because the army had not been informed about the dance.

In another incident, 19 rebels were killed late Thursday when a military helicopter opened fire on a group of some 50 LRA fighters at Omia-Nyima in Chwa County of the neighbouring Kitgum district.

Army spokesman Maj. Shaban Bantariza told AFP that the helicopter bombarded the group, which was on the move, from the air, injuring several other rebels who were carried off by their colleagues.

"We spotted the group and deployed a helicopter gunship. We bombarded them and our ground troops counted 19 dead and managed to capture some guns," Bantariza said.

Agencies