The people of southern Sudan nickname them "tong tong", referring to their notorious tactic of chopping off ears, lips and arms. Top UN officials in Sudan call them an international terrorist group whose actions are "brutal and absolutely unforgivable". And commanders of the SPLA, the former rebels of southern Sudan, call them the deadliest and most dangerous of all militias supported by the Sudan government. The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) has effectively extended its reign of terror from Uganda into the deepest jungles of Southern Sudan, causing death and destruction, disrupting relief operations, cutting off trade routes and preventing the return of refugees.
Related stories:
Uganda: US to support Anti-LRA war