Lord's Resistance Army

Lord's Resistance Army
Lord's Resistance Army
	Though the red-black-blue flag has been widely attributed to the Lord's Resistance Army, the group also uses the regular flag of Uganda.
Leaders	Joseph Kony (believed to be in hiding in South Sudan); Vincent Otti ; Caesar Achellam (POW); Raska Lukwiya †; Okot Odhiambo †; Dominic Ongwen (POW); Odong Latek †; Alphonse Lamola; Nixman Oryanga †; Doctor Achaye ;
Dates of operation	1987–present
Motives	Establishment of a theocratic state in Uganda
Headquarters	Believed to be South Sudan or Central African Republic (2014)
Active regions	Uganda; South Sudan; Sudan; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Central African Republic;
Ideology	Christian nationalism; Dominion theology
Size	500−3,000 (2007); 300−400 (2011); 100 (2017); 200−1,000 (2022);
Opponents	Uganda; South Sudan; Democratic Republic of the Congo; Central African Republic; U.N. Peacekeepers; United States; France; Union of Democratic Forces for Unity; Wagner Group (since April 2024)
Flag	; ;
	Preceded by; Holy Spirit Movement; Uganda People's Democratic Army;

The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) is a Christian extremist organization operating in Central Africa and East Africa. Its origins were in the Ugandan insurgency (1986–1994) against President Yoweri Museveni during which Joseph Rao Kony founded the LRA in 1987.

The group has been in northern Uganda, South Sudan, Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.^[11] Its stated goal includes the establishment of multi-party democracy^[12] in a Uganda bound by the Ten Commandments.^[13]^[14]

The LRA was listed as a terrorist group by the United States,^[15] but it has since been removed from the list of designated active terrorist groups. It has been accused of widespread human rights violations, including murder, abduction, mutilation, child sex slavery, and recruitment of child soldiers.^[16]^[17]

^ "Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)". Sudan Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ Ledio Cakaj (13 April 2010). "On LRA Uniforms". Enough Project. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
^ Uganda receives 14 former LRA rebel fighters repatriated from CAR, 23 July 2023
^ Cite error: The named reference IRIN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference INSS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Baddorf, Zack (20 April 2017). "Uganda Ends Its Hunt for Joseph Kony Empty-Handed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
^ "The last throes of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army". Deutsche Welle. 24 January 2022.
^ "Centrafrique: attaque de la LRA, 5 morts". lefigaro.fr. LE Figaro. AFP. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
^ Bishop, Mac William. "Russian Mercenaries Hunt the African Warlord America Couldn't Catch". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
^ "The Lord's Resistance Army in Sudan: A History and Overview" (PDF). Smallarmssurveysudan.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
^ "Terrorist Organization Profile: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)". National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, University of Maryland. Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.
^ Obita, James. "The Official presentation of the Lord's Resistance Movement/Army (LRA/M)". A Case for National Reconciliation, Peace, Democracy and Economic Prosperity for All Ugandans. Kacoke Madit. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2009.
^ "Profile: The Lord's Resistance Army". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
^ Julian Borger (8 March 2012). "Q&A: Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.
^ Philip T. Reeker (6 December 2001). "Statement on the Designation of 39 Organizations on the USA PATRIOT Act's Terrorist Exclusion List". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
^ International Criminal Court (14 October 2005). Warrant of Arrest unsealed against five LRA Commanders. Retrieved 2 June 2009.
^ Richard Dowden. "Court threatens to block cannibal cult's peace offer". Royal African Society. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2011.

[1] "Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)". Sudan Tribune. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.

[2] Ledio Cakaj (13 April 2010). "On LRA Uniforms". Enough Project. Archived from the original on 4 February 2019. Retrieved 4 February 2019.

[3] Uganda receives 14 former LRA rebel fighters repatriated from CAR, 23 July 2023

[IRIN-4] Cite error: The named reference IRIN was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[INSS-5] Cite error: The named reference INSS was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[6] Baddorf, Zack (20 April 2017). "Uganda Ends Its Hunt for Joseph Kony Empty-Handed". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 7 January 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.

[7] "The last throes of Uganda's Lord's Resistance Army". Deutsche Welle. 24 January 2022.

[8] "Centrafrique: attaque de la LRA, 5 morts". lefigaro.fr. LE Figaro. AFP. 6 October 2010. Retrieved 4 September 2023.

[9] Bishop, Mac William. "Russian Mercenaries Hunt the African Warlord America Couldn't Catch". rollingstone.com. Rolling Stone. Retrieved 28 April 2024.

[history-10] "The Lord's Resistance Army in Sudan: A History and Overview" (PDF). Smallarmssurveysudan.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 March 2016. Retrieved 27 December 2017.

[11] "Terrorist Organization Profile: Lord's Resistance Army (LRA)". National Consortium for the Study of Terrorism and Responses to Terrorism, University of Maryland. Archived from the original on 22 October 2011. Retrieved 16 October 2011.

[Obita-12] Obita, James. "The Official presentation of the Lord's Resistance Movement/Army (LRA/M)". A Case for National Reconciliation, Peace, Democracy and Economic Prosperity for All Ugandans. Kacoke Madit. Archived from the original on 31 March 2010. Retrieved 15 March 2009.

[13] "Profile: The Lord's Resistance Army". aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 15 March 2012. Retrieved 18 March 2012.

[theguardian.com-14] Julian Borger (8 March 2012). "Q&A: Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 10 February 2018. Retrieved 27 December 2017.

[Philip_T._Reeker-15] Philip T. Reeker (6 December 2001). "Statement on the Designation of 39 Organizations on the USA PATRIOT Act's Terrorist Exclusion List". U.S. Department of State. Archived from the original on 8 April 2015. Retrieved 4 April 2015.

[warrants-16] International Criminal Court (14 October 2005). Warrant of Arrest unsealed against five LRA Commanders. Retrieved 2 June 2009.

[17] Richard Dowden. "Court threatens to block cannibal cult's peace offer". Royal African Society. Archived from the original on 21 January 2012. Retrieved 5 January 2011.

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