Uganda's cattle clashes kill 50

Cattle play a key role in Karamojong life

About 50 people have been killed in clashes between the army and Karamojong warriors in north-eastern Uganda.

Four soldiers were killed in an ambush on Monday, leading to heavy fighting between the military and the herdsmen, said army spokesman Henry Obbo.

He said the clashes started when Karamojong warriors armed with machine-guns tried to recover stolen cattle recovered by the army.

Helicopter gunships have been deployed against the Karamojong warriors.

Uganda's government launched a disarmament programme in the region last year, targeting some 30,000 weapons held by the herdsmen.

Cattle raids

"We pursued these people, killed 45 in one battle, bringing the total of those killed to 52," Mr Obbo told Reuters news agency.

The United Nations has accused the military of using indiscriminate and excessive force and of killing women and children.

The drought prone Karamoja region has suffered banditry and inter-clan warfare for decades and is known as Uganda's forgotten conflict zone.

Heavily armed cattle rustlers frequently raid villages looting livestock and often killing the inhabitants.

The Karamojong herdsmen are often in conflict with the Pokot and Turkana neighbours in Kenya who also practice cattle rustling.