Incident Summary:
07/01/2003: A pick-up truck traveling on the Lira-Kotido road was ambushed near Aliwang, Uganda. Eight were killed on the spot, including two UPDR soldiers, while another three people died from wounds following the attack. A Catholic priest reported that more than 25 people were wounded but he was only able to transport 17 injured to the Lira Hospital. The Ugandan government suspected the Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) was the responsible party.
Overview
GTD ID:
200307010003
When:
2003-07-01
Country:
Uganda
Region:
Sub-Saharan Africa
Province/administrative
region/u.s. state:
Northern
City:
Aliwang
What
Attack Information
Type of Attack () |
Armed Assault |
Successful Attack? () |
Yes |
Target Information ()
Target Type: Military |
Name of Entity |
Uganda People's Defense Force (UPDF) |
Specific Description |
Two UPDR Soldiers riding on a truck 44km from Lira town on the Lira-Kotido road |
Nationality of Target |
Uganda |
Target Type: Private Citizens & Property |
Name of Entity |
|
Specific Description |
Ugandan civilians riding on a truck 44km from Lira town on the Lira-Kotido road |
Nationality of Target |
Uganda |
Additional Information
Hostages |
No |
Ransom |
No |
Property Damage |
Unknown |
Extent of Property Damage |
Unknown |
Value of Property Damage |
Unknown |
How
Weapon Information
Type |
Sub-type |
Firearms |
Unknown Gun Type |
Additional Information
Suicide Attack? | No |
Part of Multiple Incident? | No |
Criterion 1 () |
Yes |
Criterion 2 () |
Yes |
Criterion 3 () |
Yes |
Doubt Terrorism Proper () |
No |
Additional Information |
Reports on the number of killed and injured people vary across reports. At least six people were killed and at least 17 were injured. The last report of the attack listed death toll at 11. The priest who transported 17 injured to the Lira Hospital said that at least 25 were injured and he was not able to transport all of the injured to the hospital. The known victims that died include two UPDF soldiers, two-year-old Sarah Kia (died at the hospital), and Opio, the driver. Other victims that were not identified as killed or injured include Grace Ongu, Miriam Adongo, Delis Adongo, a truck controller, and two elderly men. The majority of the injured admitted to the Lira Hospital were women, five of the admitted were primary school children. |
Who
Perpetrator Statistics
Number of Perpetrators |
Unknown |
Number of Captured Perpetrators |
0 |
Casualty Information
Total Number of Casualties |
11 Fatalities / 17 Injured |
Total Number of Fatalities |
11 |
Number of U.S. Fatalities |
0 |
Number of Perpetrator Fatalities |
0 |
Total Number of Injured |
17 |
Number of U.S. Injured |
0 |
Number of Perpetrators Injured |
0 |
Sources
Sources
"Uganda; Rebels kill 9 more in Lira," Africa News, July 3, 2003 |
“Uganda; more die in Kony Rebel Ambush in Lira,” Africa News, July 10, 2003. |
Uganda; LRA Rebels kill eight in Lira ambush, Africa News, July 3, 2003. |
Criteria
Criteria 1
The act must be aimed at attaining a political, economic, religious, or social goal. In terms of economic goals, the exclusive pursuit of profit does not satisfy this criterion. It must involve the pursuit of more profound, systemic economic change.
Criterion 2
There must be evidence of an intention to coerce, intimidate, or convey some other message to a larger audience (or audiences) than the immediate victims. It is the act taken as a totality that is considered, irrespective if every individual involved in carrying out the act was aware of this intention. As long as any of the planners or decision-makers behind the attack intended to coerce, intimidate or publicize, the intentionality criterion is met.
Criterion 3
The action must be outside the context of legitimate warfare activities. That is, the act must be outside the parameters permitted by international humanitarian law (particularly the prohibition against deliberately targeting civilians or non-combatants.
Doubt Terrorism Proper
The existence of a "Yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper?" records reservation, in the eyes of GTD analysts, that the incident in question is truly terrorism. Such uncertainty, however, was not deemed to be sufficient to disqualify the incident from inclusion into the GTD. Furthermore, such a determination of doubt is subsequently coded by GTD analysts as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Alternate Designation
The determination of "yes" for "Doubt Terrorism Proper" by GTD analysts is coded as conforming to one of four possible alternative designations: 1) Insurgency/Guerilla Action; 2) Internecine Conflict Action; 3) Mass Murder; or 4) Purely Criminal Act.
Successful Attack
Success of a terrorist strike is defined according to the tangible effects of the attack. For example, in a typical successful bombing, the bomb detonates and destroys property and/or kills individuals, whereas an unsuccessful bombing is one in which the bomb is discovered and defused or detonates early and kills the perpetrators. Success is not judged in terms of the larger goals of the perpetrators. For example, a bomb that exploded in a building would be counted as a success even if it did not, for example, succeed in bringing the building down or inducing government repression.
Type of Attack
This field captures the general method of attack and often reflects the broad class of tactics used. It consists of the following nine categories:
- Assassination
- Armed Assault
- Unarmed Assault
- Bombing/Explosion
- Hijacking
- Hostage taking (Barricade Incident)
- Hostage taking (Kidnapping)
- Facility / Infrastructure Attack
- Unknown
Target Information
This field captures the general type of target. It consists of the following 22 categories:
- Abortion Related
- Airports & Airlines
- Business
- Government (General)
- Government (Diplomatic)
- Educational Institution
- Food or Water Supply
- Journalists & Media
- Maritime (includes Ports and Maritime facilities)
- Military
- NGO
- Other
- Police
- Private Citizens & Property
- Religious Figures/Institutions
- Telecommunication
- Terrorists
- Tourists
- Transportation (other than aviation)
- Unknown
- Utilities
- Violent Political Parties