with a band of fighters and eventually killed in the assault by army units. His death and those of two other commanders marked the start of a rapid de-escalation of fighting with numerous rebels choosing to surrender marking a decisive victory for the Kenyan military. Arrests and charges Reportedly, local church elders knew of 200 people who have gone missing since being arrested; about 1,500 have been formally charged. The Kenyan military has been criticized for the manner in which the operation was conducted particularly in the Chebyuk settlement area with dozens of people arrested allegedly having been executed with many more missing. The SLDF abducted many children who remain unaccounted for with many of the young men forcibly recruited being killed in fighting during the operation. References External links “All the Men Have Gone”: War Crimes in Kenya’s Mt. Elgon Conflict (Human Rights Watch) Kenya: Army and Rebel Militia Commit War Crimes in Mt. Elgon (Human Rights Watch) Mount Elgon, Kenya: A terrorised population in desperate need of assistance (MSF) Mount Elgon District Bungoma County Wars involving Kenya 2005 in Kenya 2006 in Kenya 2007 in Kenya 2008 in Kenya History of Kenya Conflicts in 2005 Conflicts in 2006 Conflicts in 2007 Conflicts in 2008 Wars involving the states and peoples of Africa