VZCZCXYZ0016
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHAE #0885 2981653
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
P 251653Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY ASMARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8509
INFO RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 6010
RUEHKH/AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM 0174
RUEHDJ/AMEMBASSY DJIBOUTI 2892
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1243
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1418
RUEPADJ/CJTF-HOA J2X CAMP LEMONIER DJ
RUEKDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0575

S E C R E T ASMARA 000885 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
LONDON FOR AFRICA WATCHERS, PARIS FOR AFRICA WATCHERS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/25/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KPKO UNSC PINR ER
SUBJECT: ONE KILLED AS ERITREAN INTRUDERS ATTACK UNMEE 
SENTRY 
 
REF: A) 231752Z OCT 06 ASMARA IIR 6 908 0036 07 B) 
 
     241720Z OCT 06 IIR 6 908 0039 07 
 
Classified By: AMB. Scott H. DeLisi for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). 
 
¶1. (C) On October 21 between 20:00 and 21:00, an UNMEE 
Jordanian soldier shot and killed an Eritrean intruder in the 
Giega UNMEE camp near Barentu in UN West Sector.  The 
Eritrean, accompanied by two others who managed to escape 
during the melee, illegally entered the camp by cutting 
through the barbed wire fence.  The Jordanian sentry warned 
the intruders to stop and when they did not fired two shots 
into the air.  The three intruders armed with sharp weapons 
then attacked the soldier.  During the struggle the soldier 
discharged a third shot, striking one of the assailants in 
the head.  The two other intruders fled the scene and the 
injured intruder received preliminary medical attention from 
UNMEE but died the next day at a local hospital. 
 
¶2. (S) Following the incident both UNMEE and the Eritrean 
police initiated an investigation.  Reportedly on October 23 
the Eritrean Liaison Officer for the Sector West requested 
the UNMEE Sector West Commander turn over the soldier to 
Eritrean authorities for questioning and a subsequent trial. 
 The Liaison Officer also reportedly told UNMEE West Sector 
Commander that if UNMEE did not comply he might not be able 
to restrain the local population and militia (Ref A). 
 
¶3. (S) UNMEE has remained in close contact with Eritrea's 
Commissioner to UNMEE, Col. Zacharias Ogbagaber, over the 
incident and has consulted with the UN Department of 
Peacekeeping Operations(DPKO) in New York.  After speaking 
with DPKO, UNMEE declined to surrender the soldier who, by 
all accounts, acted within UNMEE rules of engagement.  UNMEE 
protested to Col. Zacharias regarding the Liaison officer,s 
demands and Zacharias stated he would go to Barentu to 
address the issue with local authorities.  Ambassador Leandre 
Basole, UNMEE Head of the Political Affairs, confirmed to 
PolOff October 25, that UNMEE anticipated the situation would 
be resolved quietly and the matter dropped.  (Comment: The 
lack of press regarding the incident supports the claim the 
Eritreans wish to resolve the situation with minimal 
attention. End Comment.) 
 
¶4. (C) Comment: While attempted thefts from UNMEE camps do 
occur on both sides of the border, this type of armed 
intrusion on the Eritrean side is unusual. Initial reports 
claimed the intruders were attempting to steal food supplies 
from the camps, however, no one is certain of their 
motivation.  Conversations with Embassy humanitarian aid 
contacts whom have recently traveled near Barentu revealed 
that security is tighter than usual in the area, which may be 
a result of this incident.  Moreover, with travel 
restrictions still in place and the lack of information 
provided by the GSE we cannot assess whether humanitarian 
conditions in Barentu area are so serious as to drive local 
residents to try and raid an UNMEE camp.  However, although 
we may not know &why8 this attack occurred we, and UNMEE, 
welcome the GSE apparent decision not to add this incident to 
the long list of unresolved contentious issues between 
Eritrea and the international community.  End Comment. 
DELISI