West asked to catch Uganda rebel

By Martin Plaut
BBC Africa analyst

Joseph Kony has managed to escape efforts to capture him

The Anglican Archbishop of Sudan has called on the UK and US to help catch Ugandan rebel, Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) leader, Joseph Kony.

Daniel Deng said he believes he is hiding in the jungles of the Democratic Republic of Congo and southern Sudan.

LRA attacks have increased since forces from Uganda, South Sudan and DR Congo launched an assault on him in December.

The archbishop told the BBC Mr Kony's capture appeared beyond the abilities of the governments of the region.

Central Africa has already suffered 20 years of terror inflicted by the LRA.

Extra UN troops

On a visit to London, the archbishop said that international support was needed to locate him and "bring him to book".

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LRA attacks since Christmas on Sudanese and Congolese civilians have killed more than 1,000 people and driven nearly 200,000 from their homes.

The co-ordinated military operation by the two countries, supported by Ugandan forces, has so far failed to capture Mr Kony.

The UN operation in DR Congo, known as Monuc, has been criticised for failing to protect civilians from the LRA.

The UN has argued that it only has 17,000 troops in DR Congo, too few to bring peace to such a vast country.

It has now announced it is to send a new company to the town of Dungu - which has been at the heart of area attacked by the LRA.

An attack helicopter and two transport helicopters will also be sent to help strengthen the UN presence in the area.

The UN Security Council authorised the deployment of an additional 3,000 troops in November, but it is only now that the first firm promise of additional forces has been received.

Monuc spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Jean-Paul Dietrich told the BBC that 1,500 Egyptians would be in DR Congo in the next few weeks.

These would include police and special forces, as well as soldiers.