The Uganda People's Defense Force ( UPDF) has beefed up security at the border with southern Sudan, where the government is negotiating a final peace deal with the rebels of Lord's Resistance Army (LRA) since mid last year.

Lt. Chris Magezi, UPDF spokesman for northern region, was quoted by New Vision on Saturday as saying they have been "very vigilant along the Uganda-Sudan border" in the wake of attacks

within southern Sudan during the festive season of Christmas and New Year.

Magezi said the LRA rebels raided Luru village in southern Sudan and looted several property including goats and other food stuffs.

He added that the rebels also grabbed a gun and a pistol from a soldier of Sudanese People's Liberation Army.

The Ugandan government is currently engaged in protracted peace talks with the LRA delegates in Juba, southern Sudan, aimed to end the conflict of two decades which has left tens of thousands of people dead and over 1.4 million others homeless in northern Uganda.

The talks, under the auspice of southern Sudan authorities, are seen the best chance to bring peace to the war-ravaged northern Uganda which has seen both sides showing great interest and resolution in ending the war.

The truce signed last August, which has been renewed twice, required the rebels to assemble at two designated areas within southern Sudan.

Magezi revealed that the ambushes took place not far away from Owiny-Kibul where the rebels are assembling, adding that the army had deployed enough troops along the border to ensure that the rebels do not cross to Uganda before the talks are concluded peacefully.

Source: Xinhua