VZCZCXRO9538
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHKH #1076 1990841
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 170841Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1361
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS KHARTOUM 001076 
 
DEPT FOR AF/SPG, A/S FRAZER, SE WILLIAMSON 
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: UNAMID PEACEKEEPER KILLED BY UNKNOWN ASSAILANTS IN WEST 
DARFUR 
 
¶1. (SBU) The joint African Union-United Nations force in Darfur 
(UNAMID) reported that one of its peacekeepers was killed at 
approximately 1600 on July 16 in the remote area of Forobaranga in 
West Darfur, near the Chadian border. UNAMID has yet to release an 
official report, but UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) 
officers told poloff July 17 that the deceased officer, a Nigerian 
company commander, was shot in his vehicle while patrolling the 
market area in Forobaranga. Traveling in a platoon comprised of two 
armored personnel carriers and an escort vehicle, the victim was in 
the front seat of the second vehicle when two assailants "in green 
uniforms" came up and shot him before fleeing. Others who were with 
the patrol pursued the assailants but were not able to capture them. 
(Note: A conflicting account from a US Military Observer with UNAMID 
described the incident as a carjacking and asserts the vehicle was 
stolen. End note.) 
 
¶2. (SBU) Comment: Although it is not yet clear who is responsible, 
observers familiar with this area of West Darfur note that it is 
heavily controlled by janjaweed Arab militias with support from the 
SAF.  A "green uniform" could be worn by any janjaweed unit member 
or, much less likely in this case, some Darfuri rebels.  It is too 
early to draw any conclusions from this incident as to whether this 
was simply a routine carjacking or a politically-calculated attack 
on UNAMID but coming after the July 8 attack on peacekeepers and 
security measures taken after the July 14 ICC indictment, it is sure 
to keep UNAMID on edge even if the three issues turn out to be 
totally unrelated.  Post will update with additional information as 
it becomes available. 
 
FERNANDEZ