Kampala — THE army has refuted reports that the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) rebels have entered Uganda and were in Kitgum and Pader districts.

Media reports had indicated yesterday the rebels, moving in small groups of 50, had on Monday crossed into Kitgum, which borders Sudan.

"It is not true, the rebels crossed the Nile into eastern Equatorial region of southern Sudan but not northern Uganda," said the regional army spokesman, Capt. Ronald Kakurungu.

Kitgum resident district commissioner Omony Ogaba said: "There are no rebels in Kitgum. We are closely monitoring the border and they have not crossed into Uganda."

The Sudan Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA) has been battling the rebels, who attacked and killed several civilian and SPLA soldiers in the past weeks.

The UPDF spokesman in the West Nile region, Capt. Robert Kamara, said the rebels had been cited in southern Sudan areas of Kajo-Keji and Kaya, about 30 to 40 km from the Uganda border.

Kamara said they are moving in small groups and "the main reason for them loitering around is trying to get their arms that had been hidden in these areas."

"Their intention is to infiltrate Uganda but we are on the ground, monitoring."

Gulu district chairman Norbert Mao said his office had not received any information of rebel infiltration.

Meanwhile, the chief mediator, Riek Machar, has said the peace talks should be given another chance.

In a 12-page report issued this week, Machar proposed that some elements of the agreements signed in Juba be implemented immediately, in good faith, pending signing of the final peace agreement.

He added that the agreements provided important interventions, including social and economic provisions for the benefits of war-affected communities, "who deserve those benefits now."