The Lord's Resistance Army (LRA), also known as the Lord's Resistance Movement, is a rebel group and heterodox Christian group which operates in northern Uganda, South Sudan, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.[8] Originally known as the United Holy Salvation Army and Uganda Christian Army/Movement, its stated goals include establishment of multi-party democracy,[9] ruling Uganda according to the Ten Commandments,[10] and Acholi nationalism,[11] though in practice "the LRA is not motivated by any identifiable political agenda, and its military strategy and tactics reflect this".[12] It appears to largely function as a personality cult of its leader Joseph Kony,[11] a self-declared prophet whose leadership has earned him the nickname "Africa's David Koresh".[13]
The LRA was listed as a terrorist group by the United States,[14] though it has since been removed from the list of designated active terrorist groups. It has been accused of widespread human rights violations, including murder, abduction, mutilation, child-sex slavery, and forcing children to participate in hostilities.[15][16]