VZCZCXRO6153
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #0269/01 0560919
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250919Z FEB 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0024
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KHARTOUM 000269 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, S/CRS, PRM, AF SE WILLIAMSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN, USAID/W 
USAID FOR DCHA SUDAN TEAM, AFR/SP 
NAIROBI FOR USAID/DCHA/OFDA, USAID/REDSO, AND FAS 
GENEVA FOR NKYLOH 
NAIROBI FOR SFO 
NSC FOR PMARCHAM, MMAGAN, AND BPITTMAN 
USUN FOR FSHANKS 
BRUSSELS FOR PBROWN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EAID PREF PGOV PHUM SOCI UN SU
SUBJECT: WEST DARFUR: SAF AND JEM CLASHES WORSEN ALREADY FRAGILE 
HUMANITARIAN SITUATION 
 
REFERENCE: (A) KHARTOUM 266 
 
B) KHARTOUM 251 
(C)KHARTOUM 219 
(D)KHARTOUM 158 
(E)07 KHARTOUM 2017 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Summary: Since December 2007, renewed clashes between the 
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Justice and Equality Movement 
(JEM) in areas north of El Geneina, West Darfur, have increased 
insecurity, limited humanitarian access to the area, and displaced 
at least 56,000 residents, according to UN estimates.  The 
humanitarian community continues to pressure the U.N.-African Union 
Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) to deploy troops to the affected areas in 
order to provide an escort for assessment missions and facilitate 
humanitarian access to newly displaced and isolated civilians in 
villages north of El Geneina.  On February 20, Government of 
National Unity (GNU) Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) cancelled all 
previously authorized humanitarian flights in West Darfur, 
significantly limiting NGOs access and ability to respond to 
humanitarian needs.   End summary. 
 
------------------- 
SAF AND JEM CLASHES 
------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On February 8, SAF and militia forces attacked the 
rebel-held villages of Abu Surug, Sirba, and Silea, according to UN 
reports.  The villages had been taken by the Chadian-supported JEM 
rebel movement in late December and January. Locally hired 
humanitarian aid workers, who constitute the majority of the relief 
workers in the area, have reportedly fled into Chad.  During the 
attack on Silea, a national staff member of the International 
Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) was killed.  Other aid agencies in 
the area reported that bandits looted or destroyed non-governmental 
organization (NGO) compounds and clinics. [Comment: Before the 
clashes, Abu Surug and Silea were considered safe havens for 
displaced populations from Seraf Jidad.  All 14,000 residents of 
Seraf Jidad village fled to Armankul, Tandulti, Abu Surug and El 
Geneina during attacks on January 24.  The village is now empty. 
End comment.] 
 
¶3.  (SBU) According to UN reports, on February 18, SAF and militia 
forces continued attacks on villages north of El Geneina with the 
bombing of Aro Shorou, 10 km north of Silea.  On February 18, three 
SAF MiG fighter aircraft, three Mi-24 attack helicopters, and two 
Antonov aircraft also bombed the area of Jebel Moon in pursuit of 
fleeing rebel forces.  Based on IDP reports, militias and SAF ground 
forces attacked the area from the south, north, and west. 
 
¶4.  (SBU) On February 18, the UN reported that 25 Land Cruisers 
fitted with machine guns, 12 heavy trucks with personnel and 
equipment, and tankers with fuel departed El Fasher via Nyala, 
passing Zalingei en route to El Geneina.  The convoy was reportedly 
charged with securing the border with Chad near El Geneina.  On 
February 20, the UN reported that a large military convoy of more 
than 200 vehicles left El Fasher in the direction of South Darfur. 
 
Banditry and Looting 
------------------- 
 
¶5.   (SBU) On February 8, a group of unknown armed persons ambushed 
a convoy of 156 UN-contracted trucks in west Jebel Marra, between 
Nertiti and Khorumla, according to the UN.  Despite the presence of 
a 10-vehicle GNU Central Reserve Police escort, the assailants used 
two or three vehicles to attack two trucks and abduct the drivers. 
After the attack, the armed bandits allowed the remaining trucks to 
proceed.  The UN reported that the two stolen trucks were sold 
across the border in Chad, and that a portion of the proceeds was 
used to purchase two Toyota Land Cruisers (presumably for rebel or 
bandit use).  The whereabouts of the two contracted drivers remain 
unknown. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) On February 11, the Medair and CRS compounds in Abu Surug 
were looted and burned.  A Village Health Committee member who took 
refuge in the Medair compound was killed inside the compound, along 
with a Medair guard.  Two Medair vehicles parked in the compound 
were taken. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000269  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Early on the morning of February 19, six armed men stormed 
the Save the Children (US) compound in For Baranga town.  The group 
fired ten shots in the air and forced the guard to relinquish the 
keys for one NGO vehicle.  The bandits then drove away in the 
vehicle, kidnapping the guard.  According to the UN, the guard was 
safely released on February 20, and claimed that the bandits were 
Chadian and Sudanese. 
 
Newly Displaced Persons 
----------------------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) The clashes in areas north of El Geneina have displaced at 
least 56,000 individuals and caused an estimated 12,000 refugees to 
flee to eastern Chad, according to the UN (ref C).  According to UN 
assessment team reports, clashes caused entire village populations 
to flee, leaving Hajaleija, Aro Shorou, and Gosmino completely 
empty.  On February 21, the UN confirmed that between 10,000 to 
13,000 individuals from Silea, Hajaleija, Gosmino, and Aro Shorou 
had fled to the Jebel Moon area.  With the addition of the newly 
displaced population, the Jebel Moon area population is currently 
estimated to be around 20,000.  The inhabitants are located near 
confirmed SAF and militia aerial bombings and ground attacks that 
occurred on February 19. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) The UN estimates that up to 12,000 new refugees from 
Darfur are scattered in the Birak and Koruk areas in Chad. 
According to the UN, Chadian armed groups were reportedly blocking 
Sudanese refugees from boarding U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees 
(UNHCR) trucks in the Birak area of eastern Chad. 
 
Chad Insecurity 
---------------- 
 
¶10.  (SBU) On January 31, Tearfund reported that, on January 29, two 
bombs exploded in the vicinity of Beida and Arara areas across the 
border in Chad, triggering mandatory staff relocation as a 
precautionary measure.  On February 15, Chadian armed opposition 
groups assembled across the wadi from Beida, Chad, near the 
Chad-Sudan border.  In consultation with UN security officials and 
NGOs in the area, the February 16 UN Humanitarian Air Service 
(UNHAS) flight to Beida, Arara, and Kongo Haraza was cancelled. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) On February 21, International NGOs IMC and OXFAM reported 
that some families, after seeking shelter at Tissi, Chad had 
returned to the Umra area, south of Um Dukhun. An OXFAM assessment 
team identified 10-12 families that had returned for farming 
purposes, while IMC reported that the Chadian military are in Tissi 
and that the area is calm. 
 
Humanitarian Assessments 
------------------------ 
 
¶12.  (SBU) On February 11, relief agencies participated in a 
UNAMID-escorted joint mission to Abu Surug, Sirba, and Silea, 
following the SAF attack on February 8 and 9.  The assessment team 
found 15 percent of the shelters in Sirba and 60 to 70 percent of 
the shelters in Abu Surug were burned.  The UN Children's Fund 
(UNICEF) raised concerns that unconfirmed numbers of children 
between the ages of 12 and 18 are missing from the area (ref A). 
According to field reports, many UN agencies joined the assessment 
mission, but had limited time on the ground to evaluate the 
situation.  The UN planned follow-up missions for the week of 
February 18. 
 
¶13.  (SBU) A joint humanitarian assessment mission visited Armankul 
on February 13 and found that 90 to 95 percent of the Seraf Jidad 
IDPs had moved to Armankul.  The assessment determined that 315 
Chadian refugee households are also in Armankul, as well as 
approximately 50 to 100 households from Abu Surug who fled the Abu 
Surug attacks on February 8.  The assessment team recommended 
beginning a general food distribution to all groups, estimated at 
2,365 households, or 10,695 individuals, and a distribution of 
relief commodities, including soap, plastic sheeting, blankets, 
jerry cans, and chlorine tablets for water treatment, beginning on 
February 14.  The IDPs plan to return to villages of origin provided 
that the militia attacks cease.  The UN reports that protection 
issues remain a concern for the displaced populations. 
 
 
KHARTOUM 00000269  003 OF 003 
 
 
¶14.  (SBU) Since February 20, GNU authorities in West Darfur have 
cancelled all previously authorized humanitarian flights to the 
north of El Geneina.  Although UNAMID has escorted some UN agencies 
to Abu Surug, Sirba, and Silea, most partners cannot access the 
affected area, and the UN has postponed all planned follow-up 
assessments to the affected communities.   Humanitarian agencies 
continue to push for unrestricted humanitarian access to West 
Darfur, including the corridor from El Geneina to Kulbus. 
 
¶15.  (SBU) The UN reported that humanitarian partners are providing 
food, non-food items and medicine to 11,825 IDPs in Armankul, 5,000 
IDPs in Abu Surug, 500 IDPs in Silea, 60,000 IDPs in Kulbus and 
5,900 IDPs in Sirba.  In addition, the HAC has provided tents and 
food aid to IDPs in Sirba and Abu Surug.  The humanitarian community 
is pressuring the GNU to allow humanitarian missions to the Jebel 
Moon area (CDA Fernandez raised this issue with MFA on 24 February - 
see reftel A), where an estimated 11,000-13,000 IDPs from the Silea 
area are residing, and where reported attacks occurred on February 
¶18.  Additionally, Embassy and international community are calling 
for a UNAMID presence in Silea to allow for safe passage of 
thousands of IDPs currently trapped in Jebel Moon (reftel A).  The 
ongoing attacks have hampered relief efforts in West Darfur and 
impacted humanitarian operations in neighboring Chad. 
 
¶16. (SBU) UNAMID's ability to act decisively to support humanitarian 
effort could be the acid test for the international community. If 
so, it comes at bad time as for the next few days UNAMID this will 
be essentially leaderless.  Force Commander General M.L Agwai will 
be traveling to Nigeria and the Deputy Force Commander MG Karenze is 
just returning.  Special Joint Representative (JSR) Adada has been 
traveling in and out of El Fasher and Sudan and we understand he 
plans trips to Paris and Addis within the next couple weeks. 
 
¶17. (SBU) Comment: The fighting in West Darfur has placed the 
reality of the region in sharp relief: a cynical rebel offensive in 
a relatively peaceful area provokes a massive GOS counter-offensive 
causing the suffering and dislocation of thousands of Darfuri 
civilians. This current phase of the conflict also underscores the 
challenges facing UNAMID - it could have played a more prominent 
role in monitoring and mitigating suffering and has mostly failed to 
do so. End comment. 
 
 
FERNANDEZ