VZCZCXRO0095
PP RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1420 1661201
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 151201Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 3248
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001420 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR D, AF/FO, AF/RSA, AND AF/SPG 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/EA AND DCHA SUDAN GROUP 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC MOPS KPKO PREF UN AU SU
SUBJECT:  Update on Darfur IOM Detainees Case 
 
Ref:  Khartoum 01409 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Late on June 14, the Sudan Liberation Army 
(SLA) released the remaining five of seven International 
Organization for Migration (IOM) staff detained on June 
13 by a field commander loyal to the Abdel Wahid faction 
near Kutum, North Darfur State.  The faction suspected 
the team of serving as spies, and stated that future 
visits to the area would require permission from the 
field commander.  End summary. 
 
¶2.  On June 13, an IOM team of one international and six 
national staff was reported missing in Kutum, in North 
Darfur State.  Earlier the same day, the team departed 
Kutum for Irgie (50 km west of Kutum).  Last contact with 
the team was made at 1:38 p.m. that day, when the team 
was located 35 km west of Kutum.  The UNDSS later 
contacted the local community in Kutum with no results on 
the party's whereabouts.  The AU, NGOs, and other sources 
were contacted in the area, and the UNDSS tried to 
establish contact with Musa Hilal, a prominent leader of 
armed militia in the area.  The UNDSS subsequently 
launched a search and rescue team. 
 
¶3.  On the afternoon of June 14, the captors released the 
international staff member and a Sudanese woman staff 
member.  Later on June 14, the Abdel Wahid-affiliated SLA 
field commander released the five remaining IOM staff 
(all Sudanese men) and their vehicles.  They spent the 
night in Kutum and are traveling back to El Fasher on 
June 15. 
 
¶4.  There is no generalized feeling in North Darfur that 
the UN is being targeted or that recent events are 
attempts to intimidate.  The Abdel Wahid field commander 
who was holding the IOM staff is pro-UN, but does not 
trust Sudanese staff.  The Sudanese staff were accused of 
spying for the Mini Minawi SLA faction and the GNU. 
The field commander stated that any groups traveling 
through his territory must contact him directly and not 
rely on other SLA notifications.  IOM reportedly got lost 
on the road and inadvertently traveled into the area. 
(Note:  the UN indicates that the AU commander in Kutum 
reportedly was instrumental in negotiating the release of 
the IOM staff.  End note.) 
 
HUME