The Ugandan military says it has killed a senior commander of the rebel Lord's Resistance Army.
Astatement from the Ugandan army Wednesday says LRA "Lieutenant Colonel"Okello Yape was killed in the southwest part of Ri-kwangba, a remotearea of southern Sudan.
There are also reports that soldiers rescued several hostages held by the rebels.
Thestatement calls the death of Yape "another blow to the LRA," deliveredby a multi-national force that has been chasing the rebels sinceDecember.
Last week, the army said it had captured LRA Commander Thomas Kwoyelo, believed to be fourth-in-command of the rebel group.
TheLRA has been fighting Uganda's government for 20 years, and has alsobecome a regional threat, extending its killing, kidnapping, andmaiming of civilians into Congo, southern Sudan, and the CentralAfrican Republic.
The rebel group negotiated a peace deal withthe Ugandan government, but the group's leader, Joseph Kony, has failedto show up on multiple occasions to sign the agreement.
TheLRA says it wants the International Criminal Court to drop war crimescharges against its leaders before the accord is signed.