Ugandan army claims success in Sudan

Uganda's army can now march into Sudanese territory

The Ugandan army shot dead around 50 rebels based in Sudan during fighting over the weekend, according to an army spokesman.

Major Shaban Bantariza said the rebels were killed near the Sudanese village of Katire, about 60 km (37 miles) north of the Ugandan border.

Ugandan troops began rooting out the rebels of the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) in southern Sudan after the Sudanese Government allowed them to enter the country in March.

There has been no independent verification of the latest operation. The LRA has had little contact with the outside world during its 16-year low-intensity war against the authorities in northern Uganda.

Biblical rule

"The pursuit of the LRA is going on," Major Bantariza told the Associated Press news agency.

The LRA has kidnapped thousands of children

"We have killed these rebels. Their bodies are being picked from the bushes by our soldiers."

The rebels aim to overthrow the Ugandan Government and rule according to the Bible's Ten Commandments.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and at least 12,000 children abducted by the LRA for use as slaves, wives or fighters.

Uganda and Sudan signed an agreement in March allowing Kampala to deploy thousands of troops inside Sudan to carry out operations against LRA rebels with rear bases there.

'Iron fist'

The agreement marked a considerable improvement in relations between the two former foes.

Uganda has been fighting LRA rebels for 16 years

A week ago Uganda and Sudan agreed to re-establish full diplomatic ties and exchange ambassadors.

Since the operation code-named "Iron Fist" started, Ugandan forces have overrun a number of bases, capturing a large amount of arms and forcing the rebel army to flee southwards to the mountainous terrain near the border.

Kampala previously accused Khartoum of supporting the LRA.

Sudan, for its part, accused Uganda of supporting John Garang's rebel Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), which has been fighting Khartoum since 1983.