VZCZCXRO8066
OO RUEHROV RUEHTRO
DE RUEHKH #1108/01 2731422
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 301422Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY KHARTOUM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4494
INFO RUCNIAD/IGAD COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RHMFISS/CJTF HOA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KHARTOUM 001108 
 
NSC FOR MGAVIN, LETIM 
DEPT PLS PASS USAID FOR AFR/SUDAN 
ADDIS ABABA ALSO FOR USAU 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: MOPS PGOV PHUM PINR PREF KPKO AU SU
SUBJECT: DARFUR UPDATE: UNAMID CONVOY AMBUSHED IN GENEINA 
 
REF: KHARTOUM 1095 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: A United Nations-African Union Mission in Darfur 
(UNAMID) convoy was ambushed by unknown assailants near Geneina, 
West Darfur, resulting in one death and two injuries. In Jebel 
Marra, the Sudan Liberation Army/Abdul Wahid (SLA/AW) faction is 
building up troop strength  in strategic locations and relocating 
civilians in anticipation of future attacks, according to 
humanitarian sources (protect). Meanwhile, an SLA/AW Commander in 
West Darfur alleged that fighters from the Justice and Equality 
(JEM) attempted to overtake SLA/AW positions in Jebel Moon, but that 
his forces were successful in repelling the attack. A UNAMID 
investigative patrol apparently entered Korma without interference 
from Government of Sudan (GOS) on September 29. The patrol's 
findings will be reported septel. END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------------- 
UNAMID CONVOY AMBUSHED IN WEST DARFUR 
------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (SBU) One Nigerian peacekeeper was killed and two were injured 
when a UNAMID convoy was ambushed by unknown assailants on September 
¶28.  One UN minibus, a UNAMID military police vehicle and a UNAMID 
military escort were traveling from the West Darfur supercamp to El 
Geneina at 6:45 p.m., when two armed men moved to the middle of the 
road and opened fire on the trailing military police vehicle. 
Additional assailants fired on the convoy from the side, and in the 
ensuing firefight, one peacekeeper and one military police officer 
were shot, and one peacekeeper was run-over by his own vehicle.  The 
escort team exchanged fire with the attackers, and then withdrew the 
convoy with the injured UNAMID officers to the Supercamp, leaving 
behind one UNAMID military police vehicle.  UNAMID Director of 
Public Information Kemal Saiki said that initial reports indicate 
that six to eight gunmen participated in the attack. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Upon withdrawal to the supercamp, the escort team  made 
preparations to evacuate  the three injured officers to the Nyala 
Level 3 hospital, but one Nigerian peacekeeper died of his chest 
wound at 9:35 p.m.  The other two injured officers and their dead 
comrade were taken by air to Nyala at 9:50 p.m.  UNAMID's total 
casualty toll since the inception of the mission currently stands at 
¶17.  According to Saiki, UNAMID has yet to identify the assailants, 
but he noted that this is not the first time that UNAMID 
peacekeepers have been ambushed on this road, which connects El 
Geneina to the supercamp.  (NOTE: The areas surrounding El Geneina 
are not controlled by any prominent rebel faction.  Instability in 
and around the West Darfur capital is generally caused  by Arab 
militia and janjaweed forces whose members have  enlisted in the 
Sudanese Ministry of Defense's Border Intelligence Force.  END 
NOTE.) 
 
------------------------------------------- 
JEM REPORTEDLY ATTACKS SLA/AW IN JEBEL MOON 
------------------------------------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) On September 29 emboff spoke to SLA/AW Commander Abbas 
Aseel, who is based in West Darfur. (NOTE: SLA/AW is said to have a 
small presence near Jebel Moon, southwest of Kulbus. END NOTE.) 
Aseel stated that on September 27 JEM forces attempted to take Jebel 
Moon, but that SLA/AW repelled the attack. He claimed that this was 
the fourth such attempt JEM has made on Jebel Moon, noting that 
these attacks were preceded by numerous JEM delegations visiting the 
area and attempting to convince him to defect and join JEM. He 
stated that he anticipated further attacks as JEM continues to try 
and acquire territory within Darfur. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
SLA/AW BUILDS UP TROOPS IN ANTICIPATION OF ATTACKS 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
¶5. (SBU) NGO sources in Jebel Marra (protect) report that SLA/AW has 
been building up troop levels in strategic locations to defend 
itself from anticipated GOS attacks, including in Kidingeer (NOTE: 
Approximately 40 kilometers south of Deribat. END NOTE.) At the 
recommendation of SLA/AW Commanders, civilians from Kidingeer have 
recently moved northward to the village of Feina. (NOTE: There are 
only a small number of civilians in Kidingeer, as most fled to Feina 
as a result of fighting in 2005. END NOTE.) The NGO sources in Jebel 
Marra also reported seeing Antonov aircraft, presumably belonging to 
the Sudanese Armed Forces, that were flying northward, possibly 
towards Korma. 
 
¶6. (SBU) COMMENT: Yesterday's attack in West Darfur, and the GOS's 
refusal to permit UNAMID to enter Korma, represent the first real 
challenges for the new Force Commander, General Patrick Nyamvumba. 
The fatal ambush, conducted within sight of the UNAMID supercamp, 
 
KHARTOUM 00001108  002 OF 002 
 
 
will have on-the-ground political implications for the peacekeeping 
force.  Given Darfur's broken system of justice, it is unlikely that 
any perpetrators will be apprehended for this brazen sunset attack, 
and the GOS will remain unable or unwilling to send a message that 
attacking peacekeepers in Darfur is a crime punishable by law.  The 
Post will continue to provide updates from Korma. 
 
ASQUINO