OBO, Central African Republic (AP) — Knives, ropes, tarpaulins, AK-47s, and gun lubricant. These are some of the items handed over to the Ugandan army by three fighters who defected last month from Joseph Kony’s rebels, the Lord’s Resistance Army, in Central African Republic.

In the bush, where the men had lived for years, these prized possessions were essential for survival and now provide insight into how members of the brutal group are able to evade U.S.-backed African troops chasing them.