Rebel Commander who killed five Ugandan soldiers surrenders to UPDF

Uganda’s army the UPDF says Col Atochon a rebel leader that commanded a raid on an army detach, killing five soldiers, has surrendered.

The March 2020 attack saw a gang, believed to have been manned by Col Atochon, descend on a UPDF detach in Oduk Village, Zombo District in West Nile Sub-region, with machetes, bows and arrows.

In the end, the gang killed five UPDF soldiers, torched scores of huts and took away with at least three AK47 assault rifles.

In an ensuing pursuit in Konga village, Patek parish in Jangukuru sub county about 40 kilometers away from the Zombo town, UPDF said it had killed at least 17 of the the raiders and captured some 26 alive.

The killings and capture of the rebels were preceded by the arrest of a witchdoctor named Ovoya.

“The assailants were mobilized by some group who were recently given amnesty by the government including one Ovoya, a witchdoctor, and other ring leaders like Atochon, Oketcha, Openji, Openjuruanda and UPDF veteran Corporal Bosco Tonifa,” said then UPDF deputy spokesperson Lt Col Deo Asiimwe Akiiki.

Now, new Commander Land Forces (CLF) Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba has confirmed that Col Atochon has surrendered to the UPDF.

“Four days ago, the so-called ‘Colonel Atochon’, Commander of the rebel group that attacked our troops in Zombo in March of last year surrendered to UPDF,” CLF Lt Gen Kainerugaba said.

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