Libreville — On Wednesday, US special forces begin pulling out of the Central African Republic (CAR) where they were deployed in 2011 to help hunt the brutal Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) warlord, Joseph Kony. The move, which was announced last month, will see US troops pulling out of the country’s east where they have been helping Ugandan forces track down the feared LRA’s rebels.

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode," general Thomas Waldhauser, head of the US military’s Africa Command (Africom) said in a telephone briefing last week.

One of Africa’s longest-surviving rebel groups, the LRA has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years. Several years ago it counted several thousand fighters but today has fewer than 100, with the rebels dispersed across parts of CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Since it was set up by Kony in 1987, the LRA has slaughtered more than 100,000 people and abducted 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers, UN figures show.

In 2011, Washington sent in about 100 US troops to eastern CAR to help regional forces hunt down Kony, adding another 150 special forces airmen three years later. But last month, Africom said it would be wrapping up the operation which has cost between $600m and $800m, even though Kony remains at large. "This operation was a significant success," Jeffrey Hawkins, the US envoy to CAR, told France’s RFI radio in early April.

Ugandan troops, who have been in eastern CAR since 2009, are also withdrawing from the area. Last week, the army said the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat" to Uganda’s national security.

Although his power is much diminished, Kony — who combines religious mysticism with guerrilla tactics and a grim reputation for kidnapping and mutilation — remains at large. According to Paul Ronan of the US-based advocacy group Invisible Children, which was behind an explosive 2012 video highlighting Kony’s atrocities and calling for his capture, the warlord is believed to be either in Sudan or CAR.

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments. He is wanted by the International Criminal Court in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.</s>US special forces on Wednesday begin pulling out of Central African Republic where they deployed in 2011 to help hunt the brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony.

The move, which was announced last month, will see US troops pulling out of the country's east where they have been helping Ugandan forces track down rebels from the feared Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode,"General Thomas Waldhauser, head of the US military's Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a telephone briefing last week.

Several years ago it counted several thousand fighters but today has fewer than 100, with the rebels dispersed across parts of CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Since it was set up by Kony in 1987, the LRA has slaughtered more than 100,000 people and abducted 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers, UN figures show.

In 2011, Washington sent in around 100 US troops to eastern CAR to help regional forces hunt down Kony, adding another 150 special forces airmen three years later.

But last month, AFRICOM said it would be wrapping up the operation, which has cost between $600 and $800 million, even though Kony remains at large.

'Significant success'

"This operation was a significant success," Jeffrey Hawkins, the US envoy to CAR, told France's RFI radio in early April.

Ugandan troops, who have been in eastern CAR since 2009, are also withdrawing from the area.

Last week, the army said the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat" to Uganda's national security.

Although his power is much diminished, Kony -- who combines religious mysticism with guerrilla tactics and a grim reputation for kidnapping and mutilation -- remains at large.

According to Paul Ronan of the US-based advocacy group Invisible Children, which was behind an explosive 2012 video highlighting Kony's atrocities and calling for his capture, the warlord is believed to be either in Sudan or CAR.

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.

He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.

'Why do we care?'

Earlier this year, questions appeared to arise over the level of US commitment to its various operations in Africa in the form of a set of questions posed by the transition team of incoming president Donald Trump to the State Department.

"The LRA has never attacked US interests, why do we care? Is it worth the huge cash outlays? I hear that even the Ugandans are looking to stop searching for him, since they no longer view him as a threat, so why do we?" said the document, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

And last month, AFRICOM's Waldhauser confirmed the operations were drawing to a close, saying there were only about 100 LRA rebels and that the mission had "essentially taken that group off the battlefield."

Fears in the east

"Everywhere, in cafes, people are talking about the departure of the Ugandan and American troops," a resident of Obo, a town in CAR's southwest, told AFP by phone.

On April 17, around 6,000 people in the town took to the streets to demand that both sets of troops stay in place until they can be replaced by Central African forces.

Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.

"This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast," warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at IFRI, the French institute for international relations.

"Nobody is under any illusion that the Central African troops which are to be sent there to avoid a security vacuum will be able to neutralise the LRA."

As well as the threat from Kony's militia, the eastern region is also struggling with attacks by other "armed groups", regional police chief Ghislain Dieu-Benit Kolengo told AFP.

He was referring to rebels from the mainly Muslim ex-Seleka militia and from the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), a splinter group from a rebel force in neighbouring Chad which rights groups say executed 32 civilians and captive fighters late last year.

"Even though we are officially ending the so-called counter-LRA mission, we are certainly aware of the fact that we don't want to leave a void there," said Waldhauser.

And he said Washington would continue to offer support to African troops in the form of both "training" and "intelligence".</s>US special forces on Wednesday begin pulling out of Central African Republic where they deployed in 2011 to help hunt the brutal LRA warlord Joseph Kony.

The move, which was announced last month, will see US troops pulling out of the country's east where they have been helping Ugandan forces track down rebels from the feared Lord's Resistance Army (LRA).

"The time has come to move forward because the organisation itself is really in a survival mode," General Thomas Waldhauser, head of the US military's Africa Command (AFRICOM) said in a telephone briefing last week.

One of Africa's longest-surviving rebel groups, the LRA has terrorised parts of central Africa for 30 years.

Several years ago it counted several thousand fighters but today has fewer than 100, with the rebels dispersed across parts of CAR, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan and South Sudan.

Since it was set up by Kony in 1987, the LRA has slaughtered more than 100,000 people and abducted 60,000 children who were forced to become sex slaves and soldiers, UN figures show.

In 2011, Washington sent in around 100 US troops to eastern CAR to help regional forces hunt down Kony, adding another 150 special forces airmen three years later.

But last month, AFRICOM said it would be wrapping up the operation, which has cost between $600 and $800 million, even though Kony remains at large.

"This operation was a significant success," Jeffrey Hawkins, the US envoy to CAR, told France's RFI radio in early April.

Ugandan troops, who have been in eastern CAR since 2009, are also withdrawing from the area.

Last week, the army said the mission to neutralise the LRA had been "successfully achieved" and that Kony "no longer poses any significant threat" to Uganda's national security.

Although his power is much diminished, Kony -- who combines religious mysticism with guerrilla tactics and a grim reputation for kidnapping and mutilation -- remains at large.

According to Paul Ronan of the US-based advocacy group Invisible Children, which was behind an explosive 2012 video highlighting Kony's atrocities and calling for his capture, the warlord is believed to be either in Sudan or CAR.

A self-styled prophet, Kony launched his bloody rebellion in a bid to overthrow the Ugandan government and impose a regime based on his own version of the Ten Commandments.

He is wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague for war crimes and crimes against humanity, where one of his commanders, Dominic Ongwen, is currently on trial.

- 'Why do we care?' -

Earlier this year, questions appeared to arise over the level of US commitment to its various operations in Africa in the form of a set of questions posed by the transition team of incoming president Donald Trump to the State Department.

"The LRA has never attacked US interests, why do we care? Is it worth the huge cash outlays? I hear that even the Ugandans are looking to stop searching for him, since they no longer view him as a threat, so why do we?" said the document, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times.

And last month, AFRICOM's Waldhauser confirmed the operations were drawing to a close, saying there were only about 100 LRA rebels and that the mission had "essentially taken that group off the battlefield."

"Everywhere, in cafes, people are talking about the departure of the Ugandan and American troops," a resident of Obo, a town in CAR's southwest, told AFP by phone.

On April 17, around 6,000 people in the town took to the streets to demand that both sets of troops stay in place until they can be replaced by Central African forces.

Although there are UN peacekeeping forces from its MINUSCA mission in Central Africa, very few of them are present in the east of the country.

"This withdrawal will lead to a renewal of LRA attacks in the southeast," warned Thierry Vircoulon, a specialist on central Africa at IFRI, the French institute for international relations.

"Nobody is under any illusion that the Central African troops which are to be sent there to avoid a security vacuum will be able to neutralise the LRA."

As well as the threat from Kony's militia, the eastern region is also struggling with attacks by other "armed groups", regional police chief Ghislain Dieu-Benit Kolengo told AFP.

He was referring to rebels from the mainly Muslim ex-Seleka militia and from the Union for Peace in the Central African Republic (UPC), a splinter group from a rebel force in neighbouring Chad which rights groups say executed 32 civilians and captive fighters late last year.

"Even though we are officially ending the so-called counter-LRA mission, we are certainly aware of the fact that we don't want to leave a void there," said Waldhauser.

And he said Washington would continue to offer support to African troops in the form of both "training" and "intelligence".</s>Joseph Kony speaks during a meeting with a delegation of 160 officials and lawmakers from northern Uganda in July 2006. KAMPALA - This week, the international manhunt for Joseph Kony came to an undistinguished end.

Start the conversation, or Read more at The Washington Post.</s>Noel Hunt may have played his last game for Pompey.

The striker has conceded he will not appear in the promotion-winners’ final two games following a shoulder injury.

Despite yesterday returning to training in a non-contact capacity, time has run out for Hunt this season.

With his contract up in the summer, it remains to be seen whether he turns out for the Blues again.

The former Reading man made 24 appearances and scored once following his free-transfer arrival from Southend in August.

Yet he has been sidelined since the turn of the month after dislocating his shoulder at Hartlepool.

Hunt said: ‘I was back out running yesterday but training was non-contact.

‘I am a few weeks ahead of it but won’t be ready to play again this season.

‘The scan came back a bit more serious than it was thought, so I will struggle now.

‘I want to get fit, stay fit and keep going throughout the summer. Wherever I am, it’s important I am fit rather than unfit going into next season.’

Hunt is among 16 players out of contract at Fratton Park this season’s end.

Now aged 34, his sole Pompey goal arrived in November’s 4-0 victory over Mansfield.

However, retirement is far from his mind, irrespective of his Fratton Park outcome.

He added: ‘I’ll wait and see what the club says.

‘There are a lot more important things to be worried about here at the moment than me.

‘There are more players to be sorted out and the takeover as well.

‘I am sure I will speak to the manager in due time.

‘Wherever I go, I plan on playing for another year or two at least.’</s>Easter egg basket winners, from left, are Brycen Garrett (1-3 gold), Audrey Schoenberg (7-9 gold), Amy Suppes (4-6 silver), Lauren Shiflett (10-12 silver), Josie Smith (1-3 silver), Megan Moreno (4-6 gold), and Eric Castillo (10-12 gold). Cindy Garrett is at far left. Not shown is Fidel Cervantes, who won the 7-9 silver basket. (Provided photo/Carey Zollman)

Sisters Nina Sines and Darlene Driver remember coming to the town of Waterville Easter egg hunt each year when they were growing up. This year they came to the hunt, held April 15 at Pioneer Park, with Sines’ son Lee Roy, who is 18 months old.

Lee Roy Sines is quite an accomplished egg hunter for his age, collecting seven this year. Nina Sines said that Lee Roy knew just what to do as soon as the hunt opened and went right after the eggs.

She said that perhaps it helped that she gave him some plastic eggs to put in a basket and take out again the night before.

“He’s just having a blast,” Lee Roy’s dad Chris Sines said.

This year’s hunt was blessed with a pleasant, albeit breezy spring morning. It was a welcome change from last year when weather conditions changed the event into an indoor breakfast in the school multi-purpose room.

The turnout was large, with lots of children in all age groups. There were also many families in attendance to cheer the children on.

Carey Zollman, manager of North Cascades Bank, which sponsored the event for the fourth year in a row, said that she and other employees on hand were pleased with the turnout. In fact, they are making plans to buy more plastic eggs so there will be a greater supply next year.

Those who found gold and silver eggs in each age division were awarded Easter baskets donated by a variety of businesses in town. When the children turned in their empty plastic eggs after the hunt, they had an opportunity to fill out raffle tickets for a chance to win their choice of two additional prize baskets.

Throughout the hunt, cocoa and doughnuts were served to young and old alike.

Click here for more photos from Waterville’s Easter egg hunt.</s>The weather cooperated for a perfect morning of egg hunting at Mansfield’s Blue Stem Park April 15. (Empire Press photo/Adrienne Douke)

The Mansfield Lions Club sponsored an Easter egg hunt April 15 at Blue Stem Park. The day dawned crisp and clear with bright sunshine for the annual event.

Beginning at 10 a.m., eager egg hunters were divided into groups by age. Approximately 700 eggs were decorated and placed by volunteers. Children up to age 2 hunted for eggs first, then ages 3-5, and finally the 6-year-old and older group gathered the brightly colored eggs in the park.

There were 36 prize eggs for the division winners. “We also had eight baskets, two large bunnies, playdough, stickers and other miscellaneous prizes to give away,” egg hunt organizer LuAnne Lester said.

“This was my first year organizing the Easter egg hunt. I’m so glad the weather cooperated. It was perfect weather and we had a great turnout. Thank you Lions Club and volunteers who helped make our event successful,” she added.

Renee Bayless said, “Thank you Mansfield Lions Club, it was a great turnout, wonderful weather, so much fun to watch the kids hunt for Easter eggs.”

“It was a good Easter egg hunt, the weather was good, and I won a prize,” George Murison said.

Tara Tupling said, “It’s been the nicest weather we’ve had for an Easter egg hunt. We look forward to it every year. Fantastic turnout. Thank you Lions Club and thank you LuAnne Lester for putting it on. You did a great job.”

“It is a great family fun event on a beautiful day. The town of Mansfield enjoys a good Easter egg hunt,” said Mayor Tom Snell.</s>The U.S. military is deploying four tilt-rotor transport planes to Uganda in response to African Union requests for airlift support in the hunt for the elusive leader of the violent Lord's Resistance Army extremist group, the Pentagon said on Monday.

The U.S. Defense Department has deployed the four CV-22 Osprey, which can take off and land vertically, to Uganda from Djibouti along with tanker refueling airplanes and 150 air crew and support personnel, said Rear Admiral John Kirby, a top Pentagon spokesman.

"Airlift has been one of the consistent requirements and requests of the African Union. We are in a position now to provide that airlift for a while and we're going to do it," Kirby said. "This is very much in keeping with the mission goals at large."

A 5,000-strong African Union Regional Task Force, supported by 100 U.S. Special Operations troops, has been hunting LRA warlord Joseph Kony and his fighters, most of whom are thought to be hiding in jungles straddling the borders of the Central African Republic, South Sudan and Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Osprey will be used to help African Union troops respond more quickly to tips on the whereabouts of Kony, whose forces are known for their extreme violence, including chopping off limbs as a form of punishment and abducting young girls for use as sex slaves.

The CV-22 Osprey is a Special Operations variant of the aircraft, which was developed for the Marine Corps. The plane can carry about 24 troops and their gear.

The Ospreys and four refueling tankers - two C-130s and two KC-135 - will join the 100 U.S. Special Operations troops who have been in Uganda for a year advising and assisting AU forces involved in the search for Kony.

Kirby said the Ospreys would remain in Uganda only a short time before returning to their base in Djibouti but would likely return periodically to Uganda to help with the effort against Kony.

"I think it's safe to say that these aircraft and these crews will probably redeploy back over time," Kirby told a Pentagon news conference. "They probably won't be on the ground for very long, but they'll be back."

He said the additional 150 personnel consisted of air crew and maintenance personnel and would travel back and forth between Djibouti and Uganda with the planes.

Djibouti is the site of Camp Lemonnier, the only U.S. military base in Africa, which is home to some 2,500 troops who work building military ties with countries in the region.

It has been used as a base for Special Operations forces advising AU troops fighting Islamist extremists in neighboring Somalia. (Reporting by David Alexander; Editing by Tom Brown and Ken Wills)
The United States announced it will end a six-year Central-African hunt for Joseph Kony the following day.