VZCZCXRO8596
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0666/01 1400435
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 200435Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3826
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000666 
 
DEPT FOR SE GRATION, S/USSES, AF A/S CARSON, AF/C 
NSC FOR MGAVIN 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ASEC PGOV PREL KPKO SOCI AU UNSC SU
SUBJECT: SLA/MM ALLEGES CHADIAN MILITARY ASSISTANCE IN JEM ATTACKS 
AS MBEKI VISITS EL FASHER 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 661 
B) KHARTOUM 553 
C) KHARTOUM 649 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: No new fighting occurred on the Chad-Sudan border 
in North Darfur on May 19, but SLA/MM alleged that Chadian military 
officers assisted in the May 16 assault on Karnoi and previous 
attacks on SLA/MM positions in Sudanese territory.  UNAMID has not 
been able to corroborate these allegations.  Sudanese authorities 
claimed to have closed the border with Chad, and SLA/MM officials 
also expressed disappointment that the international community has 
yet to condemn JEM's recent acts of aggression.  Thabo Mbeki and the 
AU Panel of Experts visited El Fasher and Zam Zam IDP camp on May 
19, and an IDP leader who spoke with Sen. Kerry during his April 17 
visit to El Fasher was arrested by NISS on May 17. End summary. 
 
¶2. (SBU) UNAMID reported no new conflict today in western North 
Darfur, in the areas near the border with Chad, following the May 16 
assault by the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and their capture 
of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) garrison of Karnoi, approximately 
50 km from the Chadian border.  Government-controlled press in 
Khartoum quoted senior SAF military officials who claimed that the 
SAF had closed the border with Chad in order to thwart any attacks 
by JEM, which  they insist is supported by Chadian President Idris 
Deby. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Sudanese Liberation Army/Minni Minnawi (SLA/MM) officers in 
El Fasher claimed that the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) signatory 
faction still held the key town of Umm Barru, but that JEM 
aggression had forced them to pull back from tiny desert villages 
that ring the main road linking the Chadian border and El Fasher. 
Ishaq Ahmed Abdulrahman, administrative manager of the Transitional 
Darfur Regional Authority in El Fasher, told polasst on May 19 that 
JEM had pushed SLA/MM back from villages such as Abu Leeha, Abu 
Gamra and Fureria, but after tactically concentrating their forces 
near Um Barro, SLA/MM managed to repulse a JEM attack aimed to force 
them from the area.  Abdulrahman indicated that JEM had previously 
avoided larger SAF military installations in North Darfur.  However, 
JEM  was able to  seize  Karnoi on May 16 because it was vulnerable 
to capture.  It was reportedly guarded by fewer than 100 SAF troops. 
 Adam Ali War, communications officer of SLA/MM in El Fasher, said 
on May 19 JEM remains in control of Karnoi, but that Khalil 
Ibrahim's JEM forces are vulnerable to a GOS counterattack. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Citing reports from the field near the Chadian border, 
Abdulrahman claimed that JEM had received support from Chadian 
military commanders in attacking SLA/MM and SAF positions.  (Note: 
UNAMID has not been able to confirm these allegations. End note.) 
Both Abdulrahman and War remained convinced that JEM is using its 
relationship with Chad to force SLA/MM out of the desert area of Dar 
Zaghawa.  War mentioned that he was surprised that the international 
community had not yet commented on JEM's recent aggression.  "Maybe 
they bless these actions," he complained.  "Otherwise, I don't see 
any convincing reason they did not release any denunciation or 
condemnation." 
 
¶5. (SBU) Former President of South Africa Thabo Mbeki visited El 
Fasher and Zam Zam IDP camp on May 19 along with the African Union 
Panel of Experts. This was  their second trip  to Darfur, and El 
Fasher town saw no security incidents during the visit.  However, 
National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS) in El Fasher 
arrested one of the main Umdas (community leaders) of Al Salam IDP 
camp on May 17.  Adam Yahya Daw Al-Beit, who spoke first with 
Senator John Kerry in his April 17 visit to Al Salam (ref B), was 
arrested while traveling from the camp to El Fasher, and is still 
being held without charges.  Umda Ahmed Atim Othman, another camp 
leader who spoke with Sen. Kerry on April 17, reported that NISS 
continues to accuse the umdas of disclosing camp news to 
international personnel. 
 
¶6. (SBU) SLA/Abdul Wahid commander Suleiman Marjan remains in 
Kampala and plans to fly to Paris to persuade e Abdul Wahid to 
participate in peace talks with Sudanese authorities and other rebel 
movements.  In a conversation with polasst, Marjan said that 
commanders in the movement are trying to push the Paris-based rebel 
leader to engage with the international community, but Abdul Wahid 
insisted that he   refuses to participate in talks in Doha given the 
Qatari regime's association with JEM and Islamic movements in 
Somalia (Note: This tracks with similar claims made by SLA/AW 
General Commander Gaddura ref C. End note.)  Marjan said he was 
awaiting s U.S. or international assistance to facilitate  his 
travel from Uganda to France. 
 
¶7. (SBU) Comment: JEM's advance into Darfur has slowed for this 
 
KHARTOUM 00000666  002 OF 002 
 
 
week, but it is likely that Khartoum will counterattack with 
increased SAF bombing in far western North Darfur likely  in the 
near future.  JEM's attacks  will continue to threaten  Darfuris as 
Khalil Ibrahim clearly aims to expand the zone of conflict from the 
empty desert of Dar Zaghawa to populated stretches closer to El 
Fasher.  The allegation of Chadian military involvement in JEM 
attacks on SAF installations is serious, but remains 
unsubstantiated.  It is  a claim that could  be investigated 
thoroughly once UNAMID  brings its plans for a Mobile Monitoring 
Team to fruition.  The latter, though, assumes that such a team 
would be allowed access to the areas by the warring factions.  End 
comment. 
 
ASQUINO