VZCZCXRO7009
OO RUEHPA
DE RUEHRY #0247/01 1510919
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
O 300919Z MAY 08
FM AMEMBASSY CONAKRY
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2592
INFO RUEHZK/ECOWAS COLLECTIVE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 CONAKRY 000247 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2018 
TAGS: PGOV PMIL ASEC GV
SUBJECT: EMBASSY CONAKRY - SITUATION REPORT 12 
 
REF: A. CONAKRY 0223 - 0228 
     ¶B. CONAKRY 0231 - 0233 
     ¶C. CONAKRY 0236 - 0245 
 
Classified By: POL/ECON CHIEF SHANNON CAZEAU FOR REASON 1.4 B AND D 
 
¶1.  (SBU) The streets of Conakry are quiet this morning, and 
there have been no reports of gunfire.  Stores, markets, and 
fuel stations remain closed.  There are a few people on the 
streets waiting for taxis, but the roads are virtually empty 
due to lack of transportation.  Poloff saw children and 
teenagers in school uniforms walking to school. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) The Red Berets (presidential guard) and gendarmes 
continue to maintain a military checkpoint at the Castro 
Bridge, which controls access to the downtown area.  Police 
forces have joined the presidential loyalists at the Bridge, 
and are helping to enforce the checkpoint.  Security forces 
are screening vehicles before waving them through the 
checkpoint.  The police brought two Mamba vehicles (similar 
to a Humvee, but enclosed, with no mounted weapons), and the 
gendarmes have another Mamba stationed at the bridge.  Local 
and international press has reported that tanks were deployed 
to downtown Conakry yesterday, but Embassy has not observed 
any such deployment. 
 
¶3.  (C) Late yesterday afternoon, approximately 15 trucks of 
army Rangers, who were initially trained by the U.S. military 
several years ago, arrived in Conakry from Kankan and Kindia 
to reinforce the Red Berets and other presidential loyalists. 
 According to sources, a group of mutineers attempted to 
march towards the presidential palace yesterday afternoon and 
again this morning, claiming that they wished to speak with 
the president.  They were reportedly turned back both times 
by the Red Berets and the Rangers. 
 
¶4.  (C) Gunfire reportedly continued through the evening 
yesterday, finally ceasing around 22:30.  There have been 
some reports of soldiers wounded, but no indications of 
serious bloodshed.  It appears that even when the 
presidential loyalists and mutineers engaged yesterday, most 
of them still shot into the air.  One soldier told an Embassy 
official that "these are our brothers."  There were no 
indications of continued criminality, such as mugging and 
looting, yesterday. 
 
¶5.  (SBU) As of yesterday afternoon, reports from contacts 
and Amcit wardens throughout the country indicated that the 
local situation was calm in most areas.  There were still 
some issues in Faranah (Upper Guinea), with reports of 
intermittent gunfire, but local authorities said that 
negotiations with the military were continuing.  In Boke 
(Northern Maritime Guinea), local authorities described the 
situation as calm, but indicated that they had also been 
engaged in peaceful negotiations with the military. An Amcit 
warden reported that there was "a lot of gunfire" overnight 
in Macenta (Forest Region), but did not have any more 
specific information. 
 
¶6.  (C) According to sources, Army Chief of Defense General 
Camara and Army Chief of Staff General Kaba are currently 
back at Camp Samory Toure.  General Sampil is still being 
held by the mutineers at Camp Alpha Yaya. 
 
¶7.  (C) Embassy has received a report of several gendarmes 
being arrested by mutineers.  One of the detained gendarmes 
reportedly told RSO LES that armed mutineers were at 
gendarmerie stations this morning in Hamdallaye and Matam 
(districts of Conakry) when they demanded that ten gendarmes 
from each station support the mutineers.  They reportedly 
told the gendarmes that the mutineers are fighting for all 
military personnel, but that they didn't have any gendarmes 
within their movement.  The gendarmes reportedly went with 
the mutineers under threat of gunfire.  The gendarme also 
told RSO LES that while returning to Camp Alpha Yaya, the 
mutineers encountered a police vehicle.  They reportedly 
seized the vehicle after demanding that all the police 
personnel vacate it. 
 
¶8.  (C) Sources confirmed press reports that Major Korka 
Diallo, who was in charge of military finances, died in a 
local hospital from wounds inflicted during a May 26 attack 
by mutineers.  (COMMENT.  It is unclear whether Diallo was 
severely beaten and/or actually shot.  END COMMENT) 
 
¶9.  (S) According to contacts, presidential loyalists 
(including the Red Berets and the Rangers) have taken up 
positions around Camp Alpha Yaya in an effort to contain the 
mutineers.  There have been reports of attacks on the camp, 
 
CONAKRY 00000247  002 OF 002 
 
 
but there has been some intermittent gunfire, which is likely 
from soldiers firing into the air.  RSO surveyed the south 
side of the camp this morning, but did not see any military 
taking position on that side. 
 
¶10.  (C) An LES staff reportedly spoke to one of the 
self-proclaimed leaders of the mutineers, "Koplan," who said 
that the mutineers' demands have not been met.  He said that 
they want the top generals to come meet with them at Camp 
Alpha Yaya by 10:00, although he did not say what the 
mutineers might do if that demand is not met.  (COMMENT. 
Embassy does not know if Koplan has communicated this alleged 
demand to the GoG). 
 
¶11.  (SBU) There has been very little coverage of the mutiny 
in the local broadcast media, which is the most likely avenue 
of information for the average Guinean.  Army Chief of 
Defense General Camara did make a second announcement on the 
national news network, Radio Television Guinean (RTG), 
yesterday evening essentially reiterating that the GoG had 
reached a satisfactory agreement with the mutineers.  He 
asked that all the mutineers return peacefully to their 
barracks. 
 
------- 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12.  (S) We may be getting a clearer picture of which 
elements of the military are involved in the mutiny.  It 
appears that most of the Red Berets, the Rangers, and the 
Gendarmes are supporting the president.  The mutineers' 
support seems to be coming largely from the rank and file of 
the army.  Embassy estimates that the mutineers probably 
total somewhere between 3000 to 4000 soldiers while the 
presidential loyalists are more likely in the 2000 to 4000 
range.  While the mutineers may have the advantage in terms 
of numbers, the presidential loyalists probably have the 
technical advantage in terms of access to heavy equipment, 
ammunition and fuel.  END COMMENT. 
CARTER