VZCZCXRO8987
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #0691/01 1971117
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 161117Z JUL 09
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9918
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KINSHASA 000691 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT:   EASTERN DRC NOTES - JULY 16 
 
¶1.  (U) The information contained in this cable consists principally 
of spot reports from various sources.  This cable is not exhaustive, 
nor can all the information contained therein be confirmed at this 
time. 
 
Security Situation - LRA 
------------------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU) Press reports state that the LRA attacked the village of 
Bayule (northeast of Dingila) on July 7 and abducted 80 people. 
MONUC sources say local contacts confirmed the reports and consider 
the media accounts accurate.  LRA rebels also abducted six youths 
from Yma (north of Faradje) in two attacks on June 30 and July 4. 
(Note: A UNICEF source told Goma poloff week of July 6 that the LRA 
is seeking to rebuild its forces before retreating to the Central 
African Republic (CAR) to train and recuperate.  End note).  The 
FARDC claims it liberated 71 LRA-abductees in the period May 26 to 
July 6. 
 
¶3.  (SBU) MONUC has established a new Company Operating Base (COB) 
of 70 troops west of Dungu at Dingila.  The FARDC has established a 
base in Ango territory, considerably west of Dungu, reflecting the 
westward movement of LRA elements.  The LRA has also been active 
near Garamba Park, and a group of seven LRA (with approximately 20 
abductees) attacked a village between Kiliwa and Swahili camp on 
July 12.  Another LRA attack on a village near the border town of 
Bitima resulted in four Congolese civilian deaths. 
 
Ituri 
----- 
 
¶4.  (SBU) FRPI ("Forces de Resistances Patriotique en Ituri" in 
French) militia remain active in villages near Tchey in Ituri. 
Local Mai Mai abducted seven villagers on July 11, but released them 
several hours later.  FRPI frequently uses abducted locals as 
porters.  MONUC estimates there are 45-50 active rebels in the area, 
and the FARDC will launch the third phase of Operation Iron Stone on 
July 20 to eliminate them. 
 
North Kivu 
---------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU) The FARDC captured four FDLR troops near Nyalima.  The 
FDLR has been active around Nyalima and has warned villagers not to 
go to their fields.  The FDLR apparently believe locals are 
reporting their movements to FARDC. 
 
¶6.  (SBU) Police from several surrounding towns pulled back to 
Rutshuru after sustained attacks by the FDLR.  Further south, a 
clash between Mai Mai Kifuafua and FARDC was averted when the MONUC 
Joint Protection team brokered a separation of the forces.  Kifuafua 
claims it must remain in the area to protect family and other 
locals.  Near the border with South Kivu, seven FARDC troops were 
reportedly abducted by Mai Mai militia just north of Hombo on the 
night of July 9.  FARDC troops had been pushed out of some of the 
border towns, but took back the town of Murake from the FDLR on July 
¶11.  MONUC reports that local FDLR forces under "Captain" Bomboli 
are attempting to regroup after suffering several losses in clashes 
with the FARDC. 
 
¶7.  (SBU) Three FDLR were killed in an attack on a FARDC camp in 
Kamandi on the southern shore of Lake Edwards the week of July 6. 
There were no reports of FARDC casualties. 
 
South Kivu 
---------- 
 
¶8.  (SBU) FARDC and FDLR troops clashed for several hours around 
Mwenga in one of the longest engagements between the two forces this 
year.  MONUC reports that shooting started around 10:00 am on July 9 
and did not cease until nearly 6:00 p.m.  A full range of weapons 
were used, and MONUC launched an attack helicopter, but the pilot 
was unable to spot ground targets in the heavy forest.  At one 
point, FDLR troops entered the town of Mwenga, but they fled when 
MONUC sent a patrol into the town. 
 
¶9.  (SBU) In an unprecedented move, the FDLR attacked the MONUC 
Company Operating Base (COB) in Mwenga on the afternoon of July 13. 
The attack coincided with a conference between the local FARDC 
Commander and the MONUC base commander.  MONUC troops responded with 
heavy gunfire, killing one FDLR cadre.  One MONUC soldier was 
slightly wounded.  The FDLR was able to approach through dense 
forest near the COB perimeter which MONUC has now cut back. 
 
¶10.  (SBU) MONUC suspects that local FARDC troops may be in 
collusion with the FDLR.  They note that the attackers appeared to 
 
KINSHASA 00000691  002 OF 002 
 
 
have inside information that the commanders' meeting was taking 
place at a particular time and that local FARDC troops cooperate 
sporadically in anti-FDLR operations.  The region around Mwenga has 
seen regular skirmishes between FDLR and FARDC, and MONUC patrols 
have also taken fire.  According to sources in DDRRR, FDLR forces in 
the area are determined to fight and have dug in around several 
locations. 
 
¶11.  (SBU) Fighting also took place nearby at Kibumba and triggered 
the movement of 5000 IDP's into Mwenga.  MONUC extracted the German 
NGO GTZ from the area and other NGO's temporarily suspended 
operations in Mwenga. 
 
¶12.  (SBU) DDRRR has established a repatriation center in Kigulube 
and reports that small groups of FDLR are present in the region, but 
seem uninterested in repatriation.  The FDLR has been established in 
the area for ten years and operates a lucrative tin mine. 
 
Integration - South Kivu 
------------------------ 
 
¶13.  (SBU) Newly integrated troops continue to transfer to Luberezi 
Integration Center, which will be the site for longer term training 
and which received 48 Mai Mai troops from six different militias on 
July 8.  Most of the new FARDC troops are coming from Baraka 
Integration Center, which is now down to 138 troops.  Some of the 
newly integrated troops, however, do not want to leave their home 
areas, and MONUC reports that desertions have increased. 
 
GARVELINK