Kampala — THE Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has launched attacks against towns in the Central African Republic that have left at least 10 people dead in the last two weeks.

The attacks, launched from LRA's rear bases in the Democratic Republic of Congo, have also forced hundreds of people to flee their villages, UN and aid group officials said.

In the worst incident, LRA rebels stormed the market of the city of Mboki on July 24.

Some of the shopkeepers fought back and chased the rebels into the bush, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

Two traders and three rebels were killed on the spot, while the bodies of four other soldiers were found in the bush, the UN agency said. Six shopkeepers and an unknown number of rebels were also injured.

At least one other person has been killed since the LRA began its attacks on July 15, said Alexis Mbolinani, coordinator of the NGO Jupedec.

In the last two weeks, the rebels have attacked the towns of Bassigbiri, Liguea and Dindiri, he said.

"Up to now, we do not have a precise toll. There must be others dead in the bush," said Mbolinani, whose NGO is based in Obo, 80km from Mboki.

"In general, the rebels come, they loot, especially food, and attack women," he said. "They kidnap people.... There are deaths when people resist."

Nearly 600 Congolese refugees have crossed the border to take shelter in the Central African Republic since the start of July.

Meanwhile, in Congo itself, the LRA carried out 55 attacks in the first three weeks of July, according to a report by UNOCHA.

In the attacks, 49 people were killed and 147 abducted. This was in increase compared to June, when 56 civilians lost their lives and 205 were abducted during the entire month.

The majority of the July attacks took place in the Faradje area, which was reportedly recaptured by the Congolese army and Ugandan intelligence operatives last week.

LRA leader Joseph Kony is said to have fled to the border with the Central African Republic as a result of increased military pressure.

The Congolese forces and UPDF rescued 10 abductees, killed 14 LRA rebels and captured three in just one week, between July 14 and 20, according to the UNOCHA report.

Vision Reporter and Agencies