LRA Regional Update: Central African Republic, DR Congo and South Sudan (January - March 2015)

Overview

The Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) continues to be active and a threat to vulnerable communities in SSD, CAR and DRC. The trend in LRA attacks and deaths has remained constant since 2012, however a steady increase in number of abductions continues to be reported.

In Q1 of 2015, 65 LRA attacks, 16 deaths and 196 abductions were reported, representing an increase of 59 per cent, 14 per cent and 50 per cent respectively from Q4 of 2014. As compared to the same period in 2014, the number of LRA attacks remained the same at 65. The number of deaths and abductions increased by 700 per cent and 111 per cent respectively. These attacks, deaths and abductions represent 33 per cent, 44 per cent and 35 per cent of reported incidents in 2014 respectively.

An estimated 207,792 people remain displaced in LRA-affected areas of South Sudan, CAR and DRC.

Central African Republic

23 LRA attacks, 6 deaths and 33 abductions were reported in CAR in Q1 of 2015. This is a decrease of 25 per cent and 51 per cent on the number of deaths and abductions respectively over Q4 of 2014. The number of attacks in both quarters remained the same. 73 per cent, 19 per cent and 8 per cent of the attacks occurred in Haut-Mbomou, Mbomou and Haute-Kotto Prefectures respectively.
The estimated number of displaced people in LRA-affected areas is up to 18,200.

Democratic Republic of the Congo

40 LRA attacks were reported, leading to 9 deaths and 146 abductions during Q1 of 2015. Compared to Q4 of 2014, the attacks, deaths and abductions increased by 135 per cent, 50 per cent and 161 per cent respectively. Over 162,000 people remain displaced in Bas-Uélé and Haut-Uélé districts of Province Orientale due to LRA activity. An estimated 9,238 CAR refugees remain hosted in the area although only a portion of these fled due to LRA activism.

South Sudan

South Sudan hosts 16,042 DRC and 2,047 CAR refugees. 2 LRA attacks where 1 person was killed and 17 abducted was reported in Q1 of 2015 compared to 1 attack and 7 abductions in all of 2014.