INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Sitrep 1: Chad Remains Jittery As Rebels Advance

Published: Thu 31 Jan 2008 03:00 PM
VZCZCXRO6271
PP RUEHGI RUEHMA RUEHROV
DE RUEHNJ #0065 0311500
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 311500Z JAN 08
FM AMEMBASSY NDJAMENA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6040
INFO RUCNFUR/DARFUR COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHBP/AMEMBASSY BAMAKO PRIORITY 0892
RUEHGI/AMEMBASSY BANGUI PRIORITY 1468
RUEHNM/AMEMBASSY NIAMEY PRIORITY 3036
RUEHNK/AMEMBASSY NOUAKCHOTT PRIORITY 0156
RUEHYD/AMEMBASSY YAOUNDE PRIORITY 1646
UNCLAS NDJAMENA 000065
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR OPS, AF/C, DS, CA
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM PREL PINR CASC MOPS SU CD PINS ASEC
SUBJECT: SITREP 1: CHAD REMAINS JITTERY AS REBELS ADVANCE
REF: NDJAMENA 64 AND PREVIOUS
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MISSION POSTURE
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1. (SBU) As of 15:10, January 31, the U.S. Embassy is staffed
with the following personnel: AMB, A/DCM, OMS, POL/ECON,
CONS, IPC, PAO, FMS, FMO, GSO, RSO (2) and DAO, as well as
selected locally engaged staff. All other personnel and
eligible family members (EFMs) are at standfast at their
respective residences. Post continues to advise all
previously scheduled officials visits to Chad be canceled
until further notice. Ambassador and others are in close
contact with their French and UN counterparts. The EAC will
reconvene at 16:15 hours local to review security posture and
discuss authorized departure plans.
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SITUATION ON THE GROUND
-----------------------
2. (SBU) Chad remains jittery as rebels advance across the
country and may reach the capital within the next 24 hours.
President Deby has moved outside N'djamena to lead the fight
and intercept the Chadian rebels before they reach the
capital.
3. (SBU) French Ambassador tells us that rebels are at
Amdjemna 70 miles west of Ati on the Abeche-N'djamena road,
between two Chadian government formations. One government
formation is pursuing the rebels from Abeche (exact location
of this force is unknown), the other located at Ngoura, 120
miles west of N'djamena and 60 miles east Amdjemena. The
French fear that the Chadian government forces will be forced
to engage the rebels before the Chad forces have achieved
maxium numerical superiority over rebels. If the Chadians
engage prematurely or if the rebels force an engagement
before Chadians bring their superior numbers to bear, a rebel
victory will leave the road to N'djamena open to them. The
Chadian government plan is to bring all their forces to
engage the rebels, ideally from both east and west. Rebels
reportedly have surrounded all major towns, including Abeche.
4. (SBU) Further to reftel, there still has been no ground
fighting with government troops. An Embassy contact told
PolOff that rebel movement spokesman Acheikh Ibni Oumar is
interested in starting negotiations with government, with
U.S. or AU as facilitator, on the grounds that the rebel
movement does not want bloodshed.
5. (SBU) The French Embassy, the UN, and other international
organizations have instructed their staff to standfast in
their residences. The Exxon-Mobil led oil consortium has
ordered all family members to depart the country. Schools and
banks are closed.
NIGRO
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