Cablegate: Ituri Update: Skirmish Between Fni and Fardc

VZCZCXRO3644
PP RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHGI RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHKI #1922 3601022
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 261022Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY KINSHASA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5347
INFO RUEHXR/RWANDA COLLECTIVE
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE
RUFOADA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK

UNCLAS KINSHASA 001922

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV MOPS KPKO CG
SUBJECT: ITURI UPDATE: SKIRMISH BETWEEN FNI AND FARDC

1. (SBU) A December 24 skirmish between Peter Karim's FNI
and FARDC forces in Juba territory, Ituri District left at
least one government soldier dead and caused some civilians
to flee to the forest. It is unclear who fired first, but
according to MONUC, FNI militia members took several FARDC
locations in Juba territory, including Fataki and Djugu, on
December 24. The FNI reportedly had vacated Fataki by
December 25, however, and MONUC NepBatt troops were
patrolling the town. MONUC soldiers patrolling nearby Buba
met FNI troops who said the security situation in that town
was calm. The FARDC retook Djugu town December 26.

2. (SBU) A FARDC soldier in Ituri reported the fighting
began December 23 as a result of a personality clash. A
FARDC 6th Brigade officer, formally a member of Karim's FNI
militia, had a long-standing dislike for one FNI militia
member among several who arrived for army integration in
Djugu. An argument erupted, and both sides began shooting
into the air. The FNI militia members regrouped in the bush
and over the course of the next day, attacked several towns
in Juba territory in reprisal. No civilian casualties were
reported in the fighting.
DOUGHERTY

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