Soldier injured in clashes with cattle rustlers

A UPDF soldier was yesterday wounded as the army battled Jie cattle rustlers in Moroto District. 

The battle happened at about 5am on Monday around Lokisile Village in Lotisan Sub-county.

Maj Peter Mugisa, the UPDF regional spokesperson, told Daily Monitor that unspecified number of Jie cattle rustlers from Kotido District crossed to Kobebe grazing area in Moroto and raided unspecified number of cattle.

Maj Mugisa said the UPDF followed the armed rustlers and engaged them in a shootout. 

“They came in a large number, raided hundreds of cattle from Kobebe grazing area but our forces followed them and they had a serious fire exchange. One of our soldiers was injured,” he said.

Maj Mugisa added that the army recovered 150 cattle while other warriors escaped to Toro hills in Kotido.

Warrior captured
He also said one of the warriors was captured and was helping the army identity the ring leaders of the raid.

“Our forces have surrounded the hills where they drove some cows and we shall get them by all means,” he said. 

Maj Mugisa, however, could not confirm whether there were some warriors killed or injured, saying it was too early to tell since the forces are still on the ground hunting for the warriors.

The raids started in September 2019  after suspected cattle rustlers from Kotido raided a kraal in Kobebe in Moroto, stealing 85 cows.

Last year in July, about 500 armed cattle rustlers from the districts of Moroto, Kotido and Napak raided their counterparts in Kaabong, stealing about 800 cows.

Karamoja Sub-region has been experiencing incidents of cattle rustling after 15 years of peace when government disarmed Karimojong cattle keepers between 2001 and 2010. 

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