Photo: Manoocher Deghati/IRIN

A child multilated by LRA rebels standing by Ugandan Defence Force soldiers.

The Lords' Resistance Army (LRA) attacks against civilians have increased in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Uganda.

An LRA activities' track quarterly report released on Tuesday indicates that the LRA committed 58 attacks between January and March 2013 leaving 28 civilians dead and 79 abducted. This is compared to 36 attacks between October and December last year that resulted into 11 deaths and 111 abductions .

However, most of the violent attacks and killings, according to the report released by the LRA Crisis Tracker, were carried out in Congo and CAR.

The report indicates that during the period under review, 72 percent of the rebel attacks took place in Congo and 28 per cent in CAR. The report however says that although majority of the attacks were done in Congo, most of the killings were carried out in CAR.

Started by Joseph Kony in northern Uganda during 1987 as a religiously-inspired militia group, the LRA has perpetrated crimes against humanity across central Africa, Sudan, Congo and Uganda.

However, no major attacks have been reported in Uganda since 2006 or in South Sudan since 2011, but the group remains an active threat to civilians in the DRC and CAR.

The report however, does not explain the rise in the attacks. UPDF spokesperson Paddy Lt. Col. Paddy Ankunda said although he has seen the report, he needs to first consult the UPDF commanders on the ground to establish why the rise in the attacks.

"I cannot comment on the LRA attacks until I communicate to commanders on the ground," Ankunda said.

Invisible Children, an International NGO working to assist communities in LRA affected areas in CAR spokesperson Michael Mubangizi attributed the rise on the rebels' increased demand for food in the first months of the year.

"This is the time when they intensify the attacks activities in search for food. These months are normally preceded by a long dry season. The vegetation cover at this time is also very tall, giving the rebels opportunity to hide," he said.

The report also indicated that a total of 37 people who had been with the LRA for 6 months or more returned from the rebel group. Of those released, 28 were women and children released on march21, 2013 near Digba in Congo.

Although the report says Kony ordered their release, it does not say what exactly prompted him to do so.

"At least one returnee reported that Kony ordered their release via several LRA commanders, it's difficult to determine with certainty what prompted the decision," the report says.