VZCZCXRO4049
OO RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #0693/01 1471618
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271618Z MAY 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3864
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 000693 
 
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: DARFUR SECURITY UPDATE MAY 27 
 
REF: A) KHARTOUM 687 
B) KHARTOUM 678 
C) 08 KHARTOUM 1302 
 
¶1. (SBU) Summary: Backed by the forces of SLA/Minnawi, the SAF 
remains in firm control of Um Barro following its May 24 battle with 
JEM, according to UNAMID sources. Though both sides suffered 
casualties in the fighting, several JEM commanders are rumored to 
have been killed, and the rebel force also lost a number of vehicles 
captured or destroyed by the GOS. In West Darfur meanwhile, the 
sheikh of Hujaj IDP camp outside of Geneina town told a UNAMID 
confidence building patrol that that Goka village (25km south 
Geneina) had been taken over by Chadian rebel elements who set up a 
checkpoint there and were subjecting villagers to harassment, as 
well as incidents of shootings and rape. In South Darfur, intense 
tribal violence broke out on the border with neighboring South 
Kordofan between armed elements of the Misseriya and Rizeigat on May 
22-26, according to UNMIS. Scores of Misseriya, Rizeigat, and 
Central Reserve Police attempting to quell the fighting have 
reportedly been killed. Finally, SLA/Abdul Wahid commanders who 
traveled to Switzerland last month for a capacity building workshop 
with their leader remain stranded in N'Djamena and Nairobi, 
apparently unable to obtain travel assistance necessary to get back 
to the field.  End Summary. 
 
SAF MAINTAINS CONTROL IN UM BARRO 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU)  In a UNAMID briefing on May 26, UNAMID Chief of Plans Col. 
Noddy Stafford told a visiting U.S. Congressional delegation that 
Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) are firmly in control of Um Barro, North 
Darfur, in conjunction with Sudan Liberation Army (SLA)/ Minnawi 
fighters.  The site of fierce clashes on May 24 (Ref A), Um Barro 
has remained within the control of the GOS despite numerous unarmed 
SAF soldiers who sought protection at the UNAMID team site there, 
home to 900 Senegalese peacekeepers.  UNAMID sees the recent 
unofficial SAF military alliance with Minnawi as key to their 
retention of the area, as the SAF additionally assisted Minnawi on 
May 9 with significant artillery fire to ward off a JEM attack of 
Minnawi positions in the same area.  UNAMID peacekeepers reported on 
May 26 that two SAF Mi-24 "Hind" helicopters hovered over Um Barro 
in a defensive posture beginning in the morning.  UNAMID did not 
have firm numbers related to the capture of SAF prisoners by JEM 
during the fighting, but affirmed that SAF authorities handed over 
two captured JEM fighters to UNAMID at the Umm Barro team site on 
May 25, and UNAMID is currently facilitating their medical care. 
 
¶3. (SBU) UNAMID sources also told poloff on May 26 that there are 
approximately 51 casualties from the May 24 fighting in Um Barro 
requiring medevacs, including GOS, JEM, SLA/Minnawi soldiers and 
civilians. About half of these were successfully transported to El 
Fasher for medical treatment, though two of the casualties, one GOS 
soldier and one SLA/Minnawi soldier, died on May 26. Urgent supply 
of medicine has been requested by the Senegalese battalion at Um 
Barro, and two of the Senegalese soldiers suffered minor injuries 
from shrapnel as a result of the May 24 fighting. Some UNAMID 
vehicles and a generator were also hit by stray bullets. About 350 
displaced civilians had taken refuge outside the UNAMID Camp and 
remain in need of humanitarian assistance. 
 
UM BARRO ATTACKS PROVE COSTLY TO JEM 
------------------------------------ 
 
¶4. (SBU) JEM appears to have suffered significant losses in its 
attack on Um Barro. Several sources told UNAMID that JEM lost 48 
vehicles (22 captured by GOS, 24 destroyed in action, and 2 
abandoned in the course of retreat). Between the fighting in Kornoi 
and Um Barro, JEM has also apparently lost a number of commanders, 
including Hamma Shatta (former SLA/Unity commander loyal to Sharif 
Harir), and Mohamed Hassan and Kebur (original JEM commanders). 
Bakhit Karima, JEM commander who defected from SLA/Minnawi in 
December and was rumored to be among those responsible for JEM's 
January-February foray into Muhajeriya, is said to have broken his 
leg in the fighting in Um Barro. It is believed that with these 
heavy losses, it is unlikely JEM will launch another attack on the 
GOS in North Darfur in the immediate future. 
 
REPORTS OF CHADIAN REBELS SOUTH OF GENEINA 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶5. (SBU) In West Darfur meanwhile, reliable information on the 
whereabouts of Chadian rebel groups remains elusive. The National 
Security and Intelligence Service (NISS) has taken over a number 
checkpoints there from GOS police and military, ensuring that access 
remains highly restricted. During a recent UNAMID confidence 
 
KHARTOUM 00000693  002 OF 002 
 
 
building patrol to Hujaj IDP camp outside of Geneina town, however, 
the local camp sheikh reported that Goka village (25km south 
Geneina) had been taken over by Chadian rebel elemnts and that 
villagers there were increasingly subjected to rape, shooting and 
harassment. The camp sheik claimed to have personally spoken with 
the lead Chadian rebel commander there, who has mounted his own 
check point near that of the GOS. The commander said that he and his 
men were Chadians and were waiting for logistical support to return 
to Chad. While unable to confirm this information, UNAMID sources 
believe it is probable that Chadian rebels have returned to 
encampments south of Geneina (in the area encompassing Goka), and 
possibly encampments near Habila and Forobaranga (south of Geneina) 
and near Hamroh (north of Geinena). 
 
SLA/ABDUL WAHID COMMANDERS STILL STUCK OUTSIDE DARFUR 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Speaking by phone from N'Djamena, SLA/Abdul Wahid commander 
Abdalla Khalil told poloff on May 27 that the 30 SLA/AW commanders 
still in the Chadian capital have been stymied in the efforts to 
return to Jebel Marra.  After traveling to Switzerland to attend a 
conference with Abdul Wahid in early May, the SLA/AW commanders 
arrived in N'Djamena intending to travel back to Darfur, but no 
international partners or the Chadian government have worked to 
facilitate their return.  Told that SE Gration would travel to Paris 
to meet with Abdul Wahid to discuss issues including a ceasefire and 
the Doha negotiations, Khalil insisted that the movement intends to 
engage further with the international community.  "Even if Abdul 
Wahid refuses a ceasefire, you can come back and speak to us and 
Gadura in Jebel Marra," he said.  "We have to change our strategy in 
the coming days and deal more with the international community.  We 
have a different vision."  Not enjoying the leisurely lifestyle away 
from the field, Abdalla Khalil appealed to the U.S. and the UN to 
assist the SLA/AW commanders in returning to Jebel Marra. Another 
contingent of SLA/AW remains in Nairobi, SLA/AW Ibrahim Al Helou 
told poloff on May 23, while SLA/AW Commander Suleiman Marjan is 
still in Cairo. 
 
TRIBAL CLASHES ON THE EDGE OF SOUTH DARFUR 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7. (SBU) While South Darfur has been devoid of rebel activity in 
recent months--outside of the Jebel Marra area, there is little 
meaningful rebel presence in South Darfur-inter-Arab tribal violence 
there has been heating up. According to UNMIS, clashes broke out on 
May 22-26 between the Misseriya of Southern Kordofan (Fayareen) and 
the Rezeigat (Awlad Umsalama) of Southern Darfur across the borders 
of the two states in areas of Shagadi and Mirayr (near Mayram). The 
hostilities allegedly claimed heavy loss of life among the two 
tribes, with 104 Misseriya and 67 Rezeigat reportedly killed, 
including 15 missing. The number of wounded is not known. During the 
fighting, a contingent from the Central Reserve Police (CRP) of 100 
persons, sent earlier by South Kordofan Governor Ahmed Haroun to act 
as a buffer, was also attacked. More than 70 police have reportedly 
been killed, as well as 11 SAF soldiers. Both tribes retain huge 
numbers of former PDF elements believed to be over 30,000, according 
to UNMIS. A visit to the flash areas by the Minister of Defense and 
the Governors of South Darfur and South Kordofan was planned for May 
¶27. 
 
¶8. (SBU) Comment: Whatever their aims, JEM's attacks on Karnoi and 
Umm Barro appear to have backfired. Not only have they brought 
SLA/Minnawi and the GOS closer together, but the resulting 
displacement of civilians has done little to win the Chad-based 
movement any popular support or endear them to the local population. 
In turn, the GOS has shown rather remarkable restraint in the face 
of the wave of JEM attacks; unlike the events of Muhajeriya in early 
2009, they appear to have refrained from any indiscriminant bombing 
of civilian areas in pursuit of JEM. One can only hope that such 
restraint will extend to GOS support for Chadian rebels, whose 
window to regroup and mobilize additional attacks is diminished as 
the rainy season approaches. With regard to SLA/AW, meanwhile, the 
presence of so many of his commanders in the JEM-friendly territory 
of N'Djamena is likely making Abdul Wahid extremely nervous; this 
could perhaps serve as a point of leverage when SE Gration meets the 
intransigent leader in Paris. End comment. 
 
ASQUINO